Chiryo
by Esana Bridges
Summary: Yusuke's group finally gets a permanent healer who has some interesting quirks. T - for possible bad language & some fight scenes nothing gory. Update Schedule: Weekly (if we're lucky) Storyline & OC Copyright Esana Bridges 2014
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Please note that this will probably develop into some romance later, though it will probably be subtle as I wish to focus on the battle part. YYH is one of my favorite animes of all time. Please read!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 1

"...Hey Kuwabara..."

"What is it Urameshi? I'm trying to study for exams here!" The orange-headed teen was buried up to the point of his afro in a hill of large complicated looking books and papers that made Yusuke's head start to hurt the moment he looked at them.

"I'm so sorry, you big bookworm." Yusuke jerked his head over at the front of the class. "Just who is that girl?"

Kuwabara looked up from his book, still irritated. His eyes widened. "She's - "

"_Cute._" Yusuke grinned.

**CLANG**** –**

Yusuke fell over. He sat up and turned to glare at the girl standing behind him. When he realized just who it was, the glare quickly turned into tentative expression.

Keiko glared at him. "You'd better not be looking at some other girl instead of concentrating on your studies, Yusuke," Keiko scolded. "Otherwise, you're never going to get anywhere. You should be more like Kuwabara. Look, he's actually working!"

Glaring at the chortling Kuwabara, Yusuke scowled and slammed open his book.

The girl standing in the doorway, meanwhile, played with a ring on her pinky which was marked with lots of strange symbols. Her short gray hair seemed to attain a purple tint in the light from above. It framed a perfectly made oval face, set with gray irises around black pupils. Her skin was creamy white, and she had a good figure, a bit flat maybe, but strong and of medium height, maybe five feet five inches.

She was waiting for someone – it was made obvious by the way she was glancing around every so often, the loose t-shirt and jeans combination she wore that told everyone that she was not from the school, and the singular thought running through her mind -

_She __should __be __here __soon..._

Of course very few people could have actually seen the thought, but nevertheless, almost on cue, the other door to the classroom opened and Botan walked in, looking very foreign with blue hair and eyes that were most certainly not Japanese.

"BOTAN?" Yusuke yelped. "Why are you here?"

Botan smiled at him. "I'm here to give you another case and introduce you to a new assistant on this case." She marched over to the other girl, who glanced up and then grinned at her, pushing herself off the wall.

"Hey, Botan. It's nice to see you again."

"Hello, Riko. This," She dragged Riko by the arm over to Yusuke, "Is Yusuke Urameshi, the current Spirit Detective!"

"Whoa, the pretty girl is with Spirit World too," Kuwabara muttered. When Riko blinked at him, he flushed and straightened, "I am Kuwabara Kazuma!" He considered adding 'the Great', but decided that if the girl was associated with the Spirit World, she probably already knew that.

Riko's lips curved up. "It's a pleasure. I'm Riko Isshi." Her eyes shifted to Keiko.

"I'm Keiko," The other girl said, smiling. She turned to Botan. "So, Botan, what is this case?" She kept her voice low to avoid attracting attention.

Taking out a picture, Botan placed it on the desk in front of Yusuke. Yusuke picked it up, and both Kuwabara and Keiko leaned in to get a closer look.

It was a picture of a toddler with jet black hair and black eyes, dressed in a full-length kimono, properly done up, red with black vines and red and black ribbons in her long hair. She was very adorable in a childish way, but there was also something that brought a shiver to Kuwabara's neck.

"This is Suzume Hayashi. She is the daughter of a very important aristocrat of Spirit World and has recently gone missing. Her parents are frantic and have asked for Koenma's help in this matter."

Yusuke held up a hand. "Whoa, hold on a minute, Botan. I'm looking for a missing person? Come on! I'm supposed to hunt super powerful demons, not _children!_And what's more, I want a _break!_It's just been task, task, task, lately, that boot camp, that stupid whistle, rescuing Hiei's sister - don't I get _any _breaks?"

Botan's eyes flashed. "That child is more important - more powerful then anyone you've faced so far."

Snorting, Yusuke leaned back in his chair. "Oh yeah? Says who?"

"Her parents are capable of taking your lazy bum and throwing it ten times over the horizon. If you don't fine Suzume, they're going to tear the human world apart searching for her. And Suzume, herself, is called the 'Poison Child'. Even a _drop_of her blood used the right way will kill the strongest human or demon." Botan glared at Yusuke. "We assume she's been kidnapped by someone who means no good to the Spirit World. There's already been two assassinations already with her blood."

Irritated, Yusuke glared at Riko, apparently over his brief infatuation with her looks. "So what about you? What can you do?"

Keiko smacked him. "Yusuke! Don't be so rude!"

Yusuke shot up. "I ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION AND - "

"I'm a healer," Riko said. "Koenma has noticed how many injuries you guys get - especially you, Yusuke - and so he decided that you should have someone to help you."

Botan shook her head at Yusuke who was still mouthing silent threats and looked infuriated. "Kuwabara, you may go along if you want to. This is a very dangerous case, and of course we'll understand if you don't - "

Kuwabara waved her off. "Say no more. If I'm not there, Yusuke's going to get his head blown off even if there is a healer there."

Smiling at Kuwabara, Botan turned back to Yusuke. "Hiei and Kurama will be coming with you to help along as well." She paused. "Probably."

"Probably?"

"Kurama will be, definitely. He's agreed already, and he's already acquainted with Riko, so it's no problem for him. Hiei..."

In a very dry tone, Riko said, "He said that working with two humans was bad enough without adding another one who didn't even specialize in fighting and was good only for repairing wounds that probably didn't even hurt him either way."

Yusuke rolled his eyes. "That's Hiei for you..."

End of Chapter 1

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Second chapter. Please read!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 2

"Okay," Yusuke said, folding his arms and leaning back against the tree. "What've we got?"

Kurama spread out three maps. "This is the Human Realm," He said, pointing at the leftmost one. "This is Demon World," He pointed at the middle one.

Yusuke squinted at the maps. "You know, maybe my visions going or something, but there seems to be a pretty big hole in both those maps, Kurama."

Smiling, Kurama nodded. "There is." He unfolded the rightmost map and moved the map of Demon World over and placed the third map that he held between the first two. "This," He said, gesturing, "Is the Twisted Prison."

"With a name like that, I'm guessing it's not a good place to go for tea parties," Yusuke commented dryly, staring at the middle map for a moment.

"No," Kurama conceded. "It is not." He looked at Botan, who cleared her throat and began:

"The Twisted Prison is the space between the demon and human worlds, except it's twisted so that no one can get there, unless they have extraordinary power. In the past only one other person besides King Enma himself, has been able to open the path to the Twisted Prison. There, all the worst criminals are held captive between worlds."

"...And why do we care?"

Botan smacked him. "We care because we suspect Suzume is being held there!"

"Ow!" Yusuke clutched his head. "Botan, did you take lessons from Keiko or something?"

"Urameshi, shut up and let her finish!" Kuwabara snapped before Botan could retort.

"Thank you Kuwabara," Botan said, smiling. "As I was saying, the Twisted Prison holds all three worlds' worst criminals and also the most powerful. Among them, there is Raja, the oldest. He is from the earth demon tribes, one of the ancient ones who have the ability to live for centuries. When he was put in there, he was too weak to even open an eye, but we suspect that he has taken the time to grow much stronger and has stolen Suzume as his first step to begin coming back."

Riko studied the maps. "How does stealing Suzume help him get back?" She asked. Though she knew more about the mission than Kuwabara or Yusuke, even she had not garnered all the details. "I mean, even if all the powerful aristocrats die, the Twisted Prison will stay intact, won't it?"

"Yes, it will," Botan replied, nodding confirmation. "Stealing Suzume is practice. It is much easier to tear a hole in a prison for a child then it is for a grown demon. Getting the poison back into the other worlds and giving orders to his subordinates from his prison also afford him good practice."

As Botan finished, Kurama added, "And he hopes that King Enma will agree to some sort of treaty before he finishes killing all the aristocrats."

Yusuke frowned. "Whoa. Hold the phone, Botan. You want us to go to this Twisted Prison place and take on the most powerful criminal in existence? NO WAY."

Botan smacked him again. "Coward! But no, that's not what I'm asking. Koenma isn't stupid. He knows that you can't take on Raja. We need to take out Juniper. That's his most loyal subordinate. He is Raja's eyes on the outside world. Some of our other people are already on it. Your job is to go to the Twisted Prison to destroy this." Botan placed a picture of a giant tree next to the maps. "It's his power source (coincidentally, a juniper tree). Without it, he won't be able to make holes in the wall."

"Hm." Kuwabara looked up. "By the way, where's short stuff anyways?"

Kurama coughed.

Botan rolled her eyes. "Hiei is currently arguing with Koenma about why he feels that certain people should/should not be going on this mission." She glanced at Riko, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged.

Her only comment at the clear insult from Hiei was, "I feel so loved." It was followed by a snicker from Yusuke and a smile from Kurama, then, "When are we going, Botan?"

"As soon as Koenma convinced Hiei."

Yusuke hopped up. "Great. If it's gonna take that long, I'm gonna go home and take a nap."

Botan glared at him as he sauntered out. "That kid is unbelievable."

"But he's right," Kurama pointed out. "I too, believe that this will take some time."

"Don't say stuff like that, Botan. It makes you sound _old,_" Riko said almost simultaneously, stretching lazily.

"He makes me feel old," Botan snapped and then shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Anyways, Riko, this information is for you. In the Twisted Prison, to get to the power source, you'll need to travel through almost the entire Twisted Prison. About halfway down, the Labyrinthine begins." Riko nodded. "There, there are stretched of long halls and then many rooms. In each room, there is a convicted criminal. The criminal will ask to fight with anyone of your group."

Riko's eyebrows came snapping together. "Ah. So that's why Hiei doesn't want me to go."

Botan nodded. "Yes. Last I checked in, he was threatening to join the convicts rather than 'fight a losing battle with a useless mortal'." She wiggled her fingers to let Riko know that she was quoting Hiei directly.

"Oh well. I'll just have to seem so tough that none of them wants to fight me," Riko said, flashing a smile.

Botan smiled a bit, but shook her head. "Yes, but, you know...practice your fighting okay?"

Looking unconcerned, Riko said, "Sure." She twisted the ring on her pinky, making it shimmer. Her eyes glittered in the same light. "I've been looking forward to using my new toys anyways." She began walking away and then stopped. "When do you think Hiei'll be convinced?"

"I don't," Botan muttered.

Kurama's lips twitched. "I'll go talk to him. We should be able to start tomorrow."

"Good luck," Botan said, again in a mutter. She was wearing an exhausted look that told Kurama that she had already been down that road and hadn't made any leeway.

Amused, Riko twiddled her fingers at the two and then made her way off into the distance.

End of Chapter 2

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **The chapters are probably going to start getting progressively longer. I hope you don't mind! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 3

"...Now _that _looks creepy," Yusuke said, peering at the hole in the wall that seemed to swallow all light as it passed through. It warped as he moved closer, so he cautiously inched back.

"Remember. You have to finish this quickly. The longer it takes, the more powerful Raja grows," Botan said.

"We got it," Riko said, calmly. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, actually," Botan said, giving the other girl a slightly stern look. "When you have destroyed the power source, make your way back here – Kurama, please memorize the location – and shoot some of your power at the edge of the world. We'll know then to pick you up. Also," She turned to Kuwabara. "There are many traps leading up to the Labyrinthine that are invisible to others. You however, should be able to see where they are, so you should lead."

In a low voice, Hiei, who had in the end, been convinced to come, muttered, "Now we're dead."

Kuwabara turned and glared. "What was that, shorty? You wanna say that to my face?"

Hiei opened his mouth –

"That's enough," Kurama said, stepping forward. "Let's leave the fighting for when we actually find enemies, please. Kuwabara," Kurama bowed in Kuwabara's direction. "Will you take the lead?"

Puffing up slightly, Kuwabara stomped forward and then paused. He shivered. "I am getting a creepy vibe from that thing," He said, eyeing it suspiciously.

"Well, beyond that 'thing' is the prison of the worst demon offenders in the universe, so I think that would be apt," Riko pointed out in a bit of a neutral tone. She was twisting her pinky ring again, and this time, it seemed to be sparking in no light. "Are we going?"

Kuwabara glanced back at her. "Hey, don't rush me. I have to prepare myself fully for this."

Snorting at the comment, Yusuke muttered something rude under his breath and then to Riko said, "If you're so eager, why don't you hop on in?"

"Healers never go first." Riko's smile was like a razor. "We're much too important for that." She laced her fingers together and pushed outwards, a lazy stretch that showed the underside of her pinky ring. "After all, all your lives could depend on me."

Hiei snorted with contempt. "Not likely. Your presence is simply a nuisance. It would be best for us all if you simply got yourself killed before you have a chance to do something stupid and get _us _killed." He glared, disgusted, at Riko, who looked back. "From what Koenma told me, you aren't even a poison healer."

"A poison healer?" Kuwabara asked, briefly distracted from his preparations.

Botan stepped forward. "Poison healers are those who use their spirit power to explore the darker side of healing. You must know that medicines in overdoses can be deadly, and poison healers use that. They can also employ poisons and deadly diseases as weapons to take out their opponents."

Kurama was regarding Riko. "You're not a poison healer? I heard that you were training to be one."

Calmly, Riko rolled her head back on her neck. "I changed my mind. I am _not _a poison healer." A flash of a dark grin flitted across her face. "I don't need to be. I have a reputation.

"Oh yeah?" Yusuke asked, raising one eyebrow. "What kind of a reputation?"

"Once we get in there, you'll see ~"

Still looking disgusted, Hiei snapped, "False reputations are nothing if you can't even fight."

"…I have nothing to say to that." Riko turned back to the portal, her hand twisting the ring, sending off almost invisible silver and gold sparks. "Are we going?"

Without an answer, Yusuke jumped into the hole in the air.

On the other side, Kuwabara tumbled out and landed on Yusuke, nearly squashing him. Hiei and Kurama both had rather graceful landings, while Riko landed on Kuwabara's back.

The hole they'd come through closed.

Carefully, Riko slid from Kuwabara's back and looked around as Yusuke and Kuwabara wrestled, snapping irritation at each other.

They were standing on a flat, reflective amber platform with almost nothing else around them. About ten yards away was a staircase and corkscrewed its way down into blackness. The only light came from lanterns attached to the platform wall.

"Damn, that's a lot of stairs..." Yusuke said, peering over the edge.

"Wait, Urameshi," Kuwabara said, his great orange had popping up and whirling around. "Something's not right. Don't go down those stairs."

"What are you talking about? These are just stairs, Kuwabara. Don't be such a sissy." Yusuke took a step down -

And the step vanished.

He fell through, yelling curses until he managed to snatch a length of the platform.

It gave way, and there was something about the way it crumbled, very neatly and orderly as if the platform had decided, consciously to break -

"Rose whip!" Kurama lashed the dangerous thorny vine over the platform after Yusuke. It lashed around his waist and Kurama carefully brought Yusuke back up. He was wincing, the thorns having cut deep into his skin.

"Gee, Kurama. Don't hold back why don't you."

Smiling, Kurama said, "I apologize for the cuts, but better to be cut then dead right?"

"I suppose..."

As they spoke, Riko walked over to Yusuke and placed a hand over his stomach. The wounds quickly closed themselves, though the shirt stayed ripped. "I think that Botan did mention this," Riko said conversationally as she worked. "But let me repeat it for your sake: the Twisted Prison - particularly the upper layers - are booby-trapped."

"Oh shut up_,"_Yusuke said. He glared at the stairs that weren't there, and then glanced at Kuwabara. "I guess you're going to have to lead." He gently felt his previously injured stomach. _That__'__s __nice __work. __I __can__'__t __even __feel __anything._

The scowl on Hiei's face grew more pronounced. _What __a __weakling._ There was soft whispering in his ears, and he was sure that if he followed it, he would reach the innermost layer of the prison. He turned towards it and began to walk, senses alert –

"Oi, Hiei, what are you doing?" Yusuke called after him.

"Completing the mission."

In a very patient voice, Kurama told him, "Hiei, we must stick together in here. There are –"

"I am not _weak_, Kurama," Hiei spat out the word as if he thought that just saying it could contaminate him.

"Not at all," Kurama said. "But –"

"And I am certainly not going to be led by an useless _human_ –"

"You got a problem with me, shorty?"

"My problem is –"

There was crackling noise and then a huge block, at least ten feet on all sides started to fall from the ceiling. Hiei looked up and ran to the side, only to stop at rising bars. He grimaced and began to draw out his sword –

Before he could, a combined swirl of the orange fire of Kuwabara's sword and the green growth of Kurama's rose whip snapped around him, cutting the bars and stone, reducing them to rubble that fell harmlessly around Hiei.

"So shorty," Kuwabara said, grinning as he disintegrated his sword. "You still think I'm useless?"

Hiei _glared._

End of Chapter 3

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I haven't watched YYH in a while, though I still remember it well, so please let me know if I'm portraying the characters accurately!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 4

Riko paused mid-step. "Is something – shaking?" She looked around.

"The ceiling!" Kuwabara yelled. He whipped his head around, glaring at the rest of the group. "Did someone step on one of the gray bricks?"

Yusuke looked down and lifted one of his feet. He looked back up a bit sheepishly. "Whoops."

"URAMESHI!"

"I'M SORRY OKAY? ALL THESE DAMN BRICKS LOOK THE SAME AND THERE'S A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT OF DUST AROUND HERE!"

"Apologize later, Yusuke. We have to get out here now!"

Kurama drew his rose whip and slashed the boulders falling above them, splintering them into small pieces that created bruises where they hit – but still, better than being smashed.

"C'mon!" Kuwabara yelled. He pointed straight ahead about one hundred yards. "Straight through that door and I think we'll be good!"

They ran, Kuwabara in the lead, Yusuke right behind him, Hiei and Kurama not far behind. Closely behind them was Riko, who was having a bit of trouble keeping up with the inhuman speeds of the rest of her team.

As they ran, they stepped on more and more gray blocks which set off more and more traps. While the four in front dealt mostly with large boulders, Riko, in the back, had to contend with spikes, crumbling steps, arrows flying out of the walls and all manner of triggered traps.

Muttering curses under her breath – half of which were in some obscure language - Riko dove through the closing door, sliding to a halt and leaping to her feet again. She looked slightly winded and very wide-eyed, body stiff and ready for more traps.

The guys were standing on the other side, barely breathing hard, though looking a bit hassled. Yusuke's perfectly gelled hair had been slightly mussed and he was in the process of painstakingly repairing it.

"Riko?" Kurama asked, stepping a bit closer in concern. "Are you alright?" He was looking at Riko's side.

"Fine," Riko said, rubbing the side of her neck.

"Your...arm..." Kuwabara frowned when he saw the wound. "That's pretty big cut."

Riko followed Kuwabara and Kurama's gazes down to her left shoulder and mentally winced.

It had been gouged deeply by a spike and then further sliced by a flying arrow. She hadn't noticed the cut at first, the adrenaline driving her to keep fleeing and drowning out the pain. The blood was flowing very steadily.

With a small, almost imperceptible grimace, Riko reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a roll of bandages that most definitely would not have fit into normal jeans. _Dimensional __pockets __are __so __convenient,_ She thought absently as she ripped off a bit of bandage and secured it tightly to her arm so as to stem the bleeding and support the wound.

The guys watched her actions in mild confusion, Hiei in contempt, touched with a bit of curiosity.

"...You're a healer right?" Yusuke asked. "Why don't you just heal it?"

"My power is for my teammates, not myself." Riko replied, not bothering to look up as she finished tying up the wound, pulling it firmly to make sure it was secure. "Come on. Let's go. According to that map Botan gave us, we're almost at the Labyrinthine."

"Not bad, is she?" Kurama murmured to Hiei as they set off again, Kuwabara and Yusuke in front, followed by Riko and then Kurama and Hiei.

Hiei snorted.

"Even though you deliberately left her to be last (even though healers should never be left to go last as Koenma told you many times), she managed to dodge the traps."

"She got hurt. I would not have."

Kurama gave him a look. "But that wound didn't affect her at all, did it?"

Hiei humphed and didn't answer.

Shaking his head, Kurama lengthened his pace and slid next to Riko who looked at him and gave a slight smile. "How's Ono doing?' He asked quietly.

"Ono's fine," Riko replied, although a slightly dry tone had slipped into her voice. "No one's tried to rob his grave for a month. It's like a miracle."

Eyes widening, Kurama almost stopped walking. "Ono's…dead?"

Yusuke glanced back, "What're you guys talking about?" He paused, and then asked, "Come to think of it, how do you two know each other anyways?"

The two looked at each other and Riko shrugged. Kurama let out a puff of breath and told Yusuke (and the attentively listening Kuwabara), "Riko's uncle – Ono Isshi - was an acquaintance of mine back in the day."

A smile started spreading over Yusuke's face. "Back in the day? As in, back when you were in a demon form? Oh, seriously? Man, he must be a beast." He looked at Riko curiously. "So what are you anyways? A lion demon? Wolf? Oh wait no, I got it – a dolphin!"

"…Where do you get that?"

"Well, dolphins are all like – flowy, right? And flowy is like water and water is like healing or something, so you have to dolphin. Right?"

Riko blinked at him and then said very flatly, "I'm human."

"What? No way! But – your uncle? If he knew Kurama –"

"Humans and demons can be acquainted with each other," Riko said. "We're doing that now, aren't we?" She gestured at the demon in a human's body next to her and the full-fledged demon walking behind her, glaring daggers into her back.

"Yeah, Urameshi, don't be so demonist. _I_ knew she was a human all along," Kuwabara called out from in front where he was carefully manipulating the path they were taking.

"Yeah well, carrot top, not every can be all 'spiritually aware' like you." – which started another squabble between the two.

As they argued, Kurama asked softly, "So, Ono's dead?"

"Yep. The old cat burglar got caught by a demon. Got killed, but we managed to get the body back at least," Riko said, rather neutral about the whole topic.

Her dad's oldest brother, Ono Isshi, had been a distant relative, though still closer to his niece than any of her father's any other relations. Riko had learned a lot from him, but had known from the first day she'd met him that he was someone who enjoyed standing on the edge of a cliff.

He had told her a lot about Kurama, mostly about what a great thief he was, but the first time Riko had actually met the famous demon had only been a few months ago when Kurama started to work for the Spirit World and even then, they'd only spoken a few times.

Kurama didn't have a chance to reply to the rather blunt summary of his former partner Ono's death.

Kuwabara had stopped walking and was standing very still, staring at two pairs of solid golden gates with pictures drawn all over them, some black charcoal, some flowing, rainbow sparkles, all shifting and whirling around. He had a sickening feeling from it and knew that if he went through the door, it would only grow that much worse.

Slowly the five lined up in a line and gazed at the door for a moment, all of them, even Hiei, entranced by the moving images.

And then the trance was broken as the doors slid open with a hiss.

"_Welcome __to __the __Labyrinthine._"

"...Does this scream trap or what?" Yusuke muttered.

End of Chapter 4

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Hey guys, please let me know if I'm characterizing the guys right or not. Hope you enjoy the read!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 5

"…Why don't you come in?" The voice came from deep within the room, frozen, like raw ice.

Riko blinked and then muttered, "Well, I guess that would be a better option than standing here looking in." She turned her head to look at Kuwabara, waiting patiently.

He started and then shook himself, standing up very straight and tall, making Yusuke snort. After delivering a dirty glare in Yusuke's direction, he stomped into the large, relatively empty room.

It was made of gold – or at least, that's what it looked like, a dull gold that had lost all its shimmer, the colors so melded and meshed together that it was hard to tell just where floors ended and walls began. On the other side, there was a door very much like the one that they had just come through and sitting in front of the door –

…_Is __that __a __sphinx?_ Riko wondered.

…_If __that __head __were __attached __to __a __body, __it __would __a __damn __hot __one,_ Yusuke thought, very impressed.

Lying in front of the door on the other side of the room was a hybrid.

She had the head of a woman with long snaky black hair and clear, almond shaped blue eyes. Her skin was flawless and the color of pure coffee. On both her cheeks were three triangle stripes, bright orange on black. Fur started about halfway down the girl's neck and led into a strong black lioness's body with orange tiger stripes. The tip of her tail, a lion's at first, flickered and transformed into a five pronged trident. She lashed her tail around her in figure eights that left glowing black matter trailing in the air behind it.

After allowing them a moment to gaze at her – because she was by all accounts, _beautiful_ – the sphinx-like creature pushed herself into a sitting position and smiled. It sent shivers down all their backs and the dull gold of the room seem to grow darker.

When she spoke, it was in the same raw ice sound that had invited them into the room. "Hello…" She gazed over each of them in turn. "_Friends._" She said the word with a cruel smile. "I am Oliandra, guardian of the entrance to the Labyrinthine. To enter, you must follow my conditions." Her eyes flicked again, and she licked her lips, clearly anticipating.

"Gee, why don't I like the sound of that?" Yusuke muttered.

"Guys, I'm getting a really bad feeling off her," Kuwabara said, taking a step back. "She's not as nice as she looks."

Riko looked at him. "…She looks _nice?_"

"Depending on how you use that word, yes, indeed she does," Kurama muttered.

…_Oh __dear. __She__'__s __got __Kurama __now __too. __We__'__re __screwed._ Riko looked back at Oliandra whose tail was now waving back and forth idly, the small smile still on her full lips.

"What are your conditions?" Yusuke asked, stepping forward, cracking his knuckles. "I'm more than ready to kick some hot ass."

Kuwabara grabbed his arm. "Urameshi! You can't do that! She's a girl."

"She's a lion!"

"She's a girl, look at her face! You can't hit girls!"

"DAH. WHY IS IT ALWAYS THIS WITH YOU? She's in our way so I'm gonna kick her ass!"

Annoyed with the useless arguing, Hiei stepped to the side, out of the line and drew his sword. In a flash, he was next to Oliandra, drawing the sword down at her neck.

She didn't even look at him.

A black wind seemed to expel itself from Oliandra and sent Hiei screeching to a halt. He swung again, but could get no closer to Oliandra.

"That's enough!" Kurama said, stepping up. "We are in her territory right now, Hiei." He looked at the sphinx, who returned his gaze. "I suspect that due to the extreme demonic power concentrated here, the only way we will be able to enter the Labyrinthine is to listen to her conditions."

"Smart boy," Oliandra said, approvingly. She stood up and her tail lashed back and forth. "My conditions for you the pass are that you leave behind one of your members and allow me to…" She grinned. "Play with them."

An instant uproar went up.

"Well, that's easy enough," Hiei said, sheathing his sword. "Just leave the girl here."

Kurama frowned at the comment. "Hiei."

"No! That's terrible! We're not going to abandon anyone here!" Kuwabara roared.

"Much as I hate to agree with the dork, he's right." Yusuke stepped up, fighting stance firm. "We're not ditching anyone."

"You saw what just happened," Hiei snapped. "_I_ couldn't get through her shield. How do you expect to do so?"

Growling, Kuwabara stepped towards him. "Are you implying that we're weaker than you, Hiei? Why don't we leave you behind then?"

"I'm actually an important part of the team, but if you're so eager, we can leave you here."

Riko listened very thoughtfully to the roars around her and then asked Oliandra in a carrying voice, "Who do you want?"

That caused a slight pause as eyes shifted towards Oliandra.

There was a smile playing across her face, obviously amused at the antics of the group. Now, she walked closer to them, approaching Hiei first.

Suddenly, she reared up and placed her paws on Hiei's shoulders so that she was face to face with the demon. Hiei froze, but then realized that it wasn't a voluntary thing. The sphinx had paralyzed him.

"Calm down," Oliandra said, as the rest of the team prepared to rush her. "I'm not hurting him." She turned back to Hiei. "I just want to get a better look at him."

She sniffed Hiei's face, then dropped down and circled him before moving on to Kuwabara, who stiffened, but then found himself unable to move as well. She repeated the same process with him, though, since he was so much taller, she was actually looking up at him.

From him, she moved on to Yusuke and then Kurama, who happened to be her perfect height when she was on her hind legs. She smiled and took a moment to bat at Kurama's perfect red hair, before lighting down and slinking over to Riko.

She sniffed Riko carefully and then reared up so her face was five inches from Riko's. She carefully studied her features and hair and then descended again, taking a brief circle around the girl before walking back to her original spot and turning to face them, a slightly troubled decision clouding her lovely face.

"Well?" Hiei demanded, coldly, having recovered from his shock. "Which human do you want?" He emphasized the word 'human' with a glare at Kuwabara.

Oliandra had been looking back and forth between Kurama and Riko. When Hiei interrupted her decision, she spared him a brief glance and then began to wave her tail, the cool smile returning with renewed vigor.

"I'll take the girl."

End of Chapter 5

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**: Is Kurama being too nice? .

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 6

"WHAT? NO!" Kuwabara started roaring again.

"Looks like you can make yourself useful after all," Hiei said, walking back. He stared coldly at Riko. "Or are you going to chicken out?"

Riko was thinking quietly to herself. She barely glanced up at Hiei's words. She looked over at Oliandra. "Do you know what goes on outside the Twisted Prison?"

Oliandra raised an elegant, curved eyebrow. "I have great knowledge of the outside world." She smiled and her eyes sparkled. "My eyes allow me to pierce through the walls."

"Hm. Okay." Riko glanced at the rest of her team. "I'll stay."

"WHAT?" Kuwabara stormed over. "Are you crazy?"

Yusuke looked at her, "Yeah what are you thinking? Hiei couldn't even get through her guards."

"But that's only cause we're under her conditions right now. If one person gets left behind, I'm pretty sure they'll be able to fight normally."

Hiei snorted. "And for that, you'll bet your life?" He turned away. "I hope you enjoy being eaten."

"He's right, Riko. You shouldn't be so reckless. There's no need for you to fight. I'll stay behind and take care of this," Kurama said stepping forward. "Her basic conditions are only that we leave someone behind. We don't have to abide by a specific person."

Waving her hand casually, Riko replied, "Yeah, but if I take care of it, there's no chance of you guys getting hurt and most likely, I'll be able to finish faster than you guys."

Kuwabara's eyebrows shot up. "What? You fight? I thought you were a healer."

Riko glanced at him. "I am a healer. I just…" She trailed off and then shook her head. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. I can take care of this. Go through that gate. Wait for five minutes. If I don't come out by then," She paused and thought about it for a moment. "Then go on. If I don't catch up with you in an hour and a half, then it means that I'm dead (unless I magically appear again later just in the nick of time to save you all). Okay?"

Yusuke was staring at her. "It'll take you five minutes to beat her?"

"What do you speak of, Yusuke?" Hiei asked, voice dry. "It sounded much more like she needed an hour and a half to get properly killed." He stared at Riko. "And while I'm impressed by your tenacity, this stalling irritates me. Can we go?"

"…So wait," Yusuke said, ignoring Hiei. "Just how long are we supposed to wait for you?"

"Five minutes. And then 85 minutes after that, if I haven't caught up, then you can assume I'm dead."

"…How can the time you need to beat this sphinx vary from five minutes to an hour and a half?"

Shaking her head, Riko replied, "You're mistaken. It'll only take me about five minutes to take care of this business. I don't want to waste more time, so you can leave after that."

"…What's with the huge time gap then?" Yusuke asked, completely confused.

"…Well." Riko looked up at the dull, gold ceiling. "Let's just say that I don't like to run." She looked back at her team. "Now, _go._ I got this." She began to push the group towards the other door, where Oliandra sat waiting very patiently for her snack.

Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Kurama protested the entire way, while Hiei zipped his way across the floor and was waiting impatiently for them when Riko finally managed to deposit the group next to the door.

Oliandra flicked her tail and the door opened. Hiei stepped through. Riko pushed Yusuke and Kuwabara through, wincing as she touched the air between the door. It shocked her when she did so. Obviously, the door wasn't going to let her out unless she fulfilled Oliandra's conditions.

Kurama lingered momentarily. "Are you sure that you'll be alright?" He asked. He was half wondering if he should try to throw Riko through the door and face Oliandra himself, though he wasn't quite sure if Oliandra (or Riko) would accept that.

Riko waved a limp hand. "I'll be fine."

As Kurama stepped through, he glanced back.

She had raised her other hand and had started to twist the ring on her finger. Her light brown eyes were starting to sparkle.

The ring seemed to be truly sparking now. It was a very pretty thing, made of three bands. The middle band was the largest and was deep silver with black markings running all the way around. The other two bands were gold, very thin and taking up no more than a millimeter of space on either edge of the silver band.

The door closed behind him.

Silence ensued.

"So…" Yusuke said after an uncomfortable 30 seconds (Kurama was keeping track). He glanced at Hiei in particular. "Wanna take bets?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>The doors began to open.<p>

Instantly, Kurama was on his feet, having sat down at around 134 seconds and broke off his count at 320 – technically five minutes had passed a few seconds ago, but he had neglected to tell Hiei that who would have insisted they leave immediately.

Kuwabara and Yusuke both sprang up as well.

Hiei, the only one who hadn't taken a seat, pushed himself off the wall and turned towards the door, ready to see the remains of Riko's body.

As if he knew what he was thinking, Kurama shot Hiei a look.

Hiei ignored it.

Adjusting her pinky ring, Riko walked out of the room. She looked completely untouched.

"Riko! You're alive!" Yusuke paused and then muttered to Hiei, "I guess that means no one wins the bet."

After sparing a glare for the two (he had been too honorable to participate in the bet), Kuwabara rushed forward. "Are you hurt?" He asked.

"Did you kill her?" Yusuke asked curiously.

Giving Yusuke a rather withering glance, Riko jerked her thumb back at the still open doors.

Yusuke stepped closer and peered in.

Inside the room, looking completely unharmed as well, Oliandra sat. She seemed to be muttering to herself, and her tail was lashing back and forth, but she no longer seemed to want to eat Riko.

She caught sight of Yusuke out of the corner of her eye and whipped her head around, snapping out a quick word. The doors slammed shut, almost breaking Yusuke's nose.

"Ow! Dammit!" Yusuke head his nose and backed up, wincing and glaring at the door. "That bitch."

"Hey, you were betting on whether or not I would live. I think that would make you the bitch," Riko called to him.

Sheepishly, Yusuke walked back to the main group. "It wasn't about whether you would live or not. I'd never do that."

Riko gave him a look. "So, tell me, what was it about?"

He shrugged. "It was about how long it'd take you to scream out for help."

Kurama sniffed the air lightly. While his human senses weren't as keen as his demon ones, he could still pick out the scent of blood. He looked for the source and saw a small cut on Riko's left pinky. It had already closed up.

Riko half-stared, half-glared at Yusuke.

Kurama's gaze was drawn down to the ring, and his eyebrows came together in a slight frown.

The edges of metal surrounding the silver middle band were crimson red.

As they began moving towards the long hall that led into the darkness, Kuwabara in front, Yusuke said, "Hey, I bet on three minutes."

"I didn't bet on any," Kuwabara said, puffing his chest out. "I had faith in you."

"I'm sure," Riko said dryly, smiling slightly.

Without prompting, Hiei said, "I bet on one."

Letting out a sigh, Riko said, "Well, I suppose one minute is still a compliment coming from someone who thinks I'm so useless, so thanks." She started moving forward.

Hiei paused. "I meant one second."

Riko paused where she stood and sighed. "Somehow, coming from you, that's still a compliment."

End of Chapter 6

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** A little longer, and ALSO, please tell me what you think of Hiei's 'compliment' towards Kuwabara. Did it fit with his character or was it OOC?

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 7

_Koenma __has __sent __the __Spirit __Team __here?_ The chillingly cold thought was followed by a moment's silence, then, _Why?_

The fair-haired demon didn't risk lifting his head. "Our sources tell us that they are attempting to destroy the Tree of Life, Greatness."

…_The Tree of Life… where are they right now?_

"Currently, they're in the Labyrinthine, Greatness. Oliandra just let them by."

_How have they navigated?_

"They have a human in their company who has great spiritual awareness. He has guided them through most of the traps without harm. He also seems to have to ability to sense the presence of both demon and human energy." The young man ignored the ache in his right knee, one that came from kneeling too long.

_Tell us more about their company._

"They have two demons and three humans, Greatness. The spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi, is the de facto leader of the troop, though currently they are led by Kuwabara Kazuma, the one with good senses. Riko Isshi also accompanies them as their healer." Taking a breath, the man continued, "The two demons are Yoko Kurama, currently in a human form, and Hiei, the sword master."

His words were followed by a long period of dripping water and echoes.

Finally, the great voice boomed, _We __cannot __have __them __messing __with __our __source __of __energy. __Separate __them __from __each __other__ – __especially the leader and __the __human __spiritualist. __Twist __the __maze._

A rippling sound of deep waves began to echo around the demon kneeling in the middle of the floor, making him shiver ever so slightly. He fought to keep himself still.

"Yes, Greatness."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Kuwabara shivered as he skated his way around a patch of gold that was barely lighter than the rest of the floor. The rest of the team did likewise, though minus the shiver. "Man, this place is creepy," He muttered. "I can almost feel the ghosts here."<p>

"What are you talking about, man?" Yusuke asked, slapping Kuwabara in the back. "There ain't ghosts here. This is a _demon __prison._"

Kuwabara glared at him. "Demon prisons can have ghosts, too." He shivered. "And it's even worse, because demon prisons probably have demon ghosts." He continued forward.

Yusuke paused for a moment and poked Kurama, asking him in a stage whisper, "Can you tell him that that's not possible?"

Not smiling, Kurama said, "I wish I could, but I don't know." He looked around. "And I also have the sense of…watching here."

"HA!" Kuwabara called over his shoulder. "Even Kurama agrees with me!"

"…Oh whoop, that just stirred him up more," Yusuke muttered under his breath. He shot a glance at Riko, who was occasionally glancing around her. "You feel anything, Ms. Secretively Good Fighter?"

Giving him a brief glare, Riko shook her head. "I think it feels fine actually."

Grinning, Yusuke said to Kuwabara, "HA. Two to two." He rounded on Hiei, who was still walking at the very end. "You feel anything?"

Kurama looked back as well, "Yes, Hiei, please tell us. Do you sense anything odd here?"

"Odd no, not for a demon prison, but I do feel the presence of others."

"HA," Kuwabara interjected before Hiei could continue. "Even shorty agrees with me!"

"…I do not agree with you, and this presence is certainly not ghosts." Hiei looked at Kuwabara in mild disdain and then turned to look at the walls. "It feels more like the presence of another demon."

As if on cue, a wall suddenly slammed down five meters behind Hiei and another one six meters in front of Kuwabara, making the latter jump.

Hiei's sword was instantly out, and he had turned to face the wall, waiting for the appearance of enemies that he could not just feel the presence of, but now, also smell. He lifted his hand to block as much of the scent as possible.

Kurama and Kuwabara were having similar reactions to the smell, both coughing at its noxious odor. Kuwabara was almost bent double.

It was a disgusting reek that nearly overcrowded his nose, but judging by the nonplussed expression on Yusuke and Riko's faces, it was a spirit smell.

Yusuke was looking at the walls, wary, also waiting, but unable to understand Kuwabara's reaction. He tentatively sniffed the air and was greeted by an odor much like those of mildly rotten eggs. _If __eggs __can __be __only __mildly __rotten,_ He thought while batting the air.

Riko had backed up against a side wall and was staring at the rest of her team. "What's wrong? Are you guys alright?" Power shimmered on her hands.

"One, that's a stupid question," Yusuke said, backing up with her. "And two, I guess we can see who fails the spirit test." He made a face. "So much for thinking 'it feels fine'."

Before Riko could reply, a low whine started up, and two trap doors open on either side of the group, causing them to crowd even closer together, with Riko at the approximate middle of the group.

Two chimeras were sliding up out of the floor, identical to each other in every aspect. They had large, squarish heads with long snouts and rough, buffalo-like skin. The heads rested on what might have passed for a jester ruffle back in the Victorian era, but which looked like it was attached to their bodies and was colored a bright green that would never have been used for a jester ruffle.

Moving on down, their bodies resembled that of a very bloated fish, with scaly, half-rotten skin. The inflated bodies were resting on single, large tree trunk-like legs that tapered down to tiny points and supported themselves on top of tiny balls.

"Wow," Yusuke breathed.

There was a slight silence and then Hiei said, "Do you remember when I called you ugly?" The question, though addressed to no one, was clearly for Kuwabara.

The recipient scowled. "Excuse me. I'll have you know that –"

"Yes, well," Hiei said over Kuwabara. "I'll have to revise my opinion." He looked at one of the chimeras, who seemed to be looking back at him. "You're almost normal-looking in comparison to them."

"WHY YOU LITTLE –"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Yusuke pushed himself between the two, putting up a hand to keep Kuwabara from leaping onto the smaller demon. "C'mon guys, let's try to act like we're a team here." He glanced at Kurama. "What do they want? Are they here to fight us?"

"I don't know," Kurama said, his eyes never leaving the chimera in front of him. "Let's ask." He stepped forward without waiting for a reply. "Who are you?" His voice rang very clearly throughout the newly created room. "What do you want from us?"

The chimeras began to roll from either sides, heading for the center of the room, in front of the tightly crowded spirit team. The motion made the five draw back even more, power glittering on the fingertips of the four in front. Riko had taken to playing with her ring again, twisting it, sending sparks flying.

"We invoke the right that we have against invaders of our land. We will choose our opponents in this fight. We want Yusuke Urameshi." It was an oddly flat voice, not at all what they'd expected from such a grotesque being, and it was made stranger by the fact that the mouths of both chimeras moved, but only one sound emerged.

_Which __one__'__s __speaking?_ Riko wondered.

Yusuke stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "I guess I'm the victim this time," He said, throwing a mocking glance at Riko who raised her eyebrows. He looked back at the chimeras and grinned. "I'll try to pound your faces into something a bit less disgusting."

There was no response from the chimeras, none at all, except for another name: "Kazuma Kuwabara."

Kuwabara grinned and stepped forward as well, going through a set of macho movements before settling into a fighting stance. "Alright, let's kick some ass, Urameshi."

Next to her, Riko felt Hiei snort in derision and Kurama almost chuckle.

The two who'd been chosen walked forward in perfect unison –

And then fell in perfect unison, as the floor around the chimeras, disappeared.

End of Chapter 7

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Wow, the moment I put up a schedule I fail it. xD Sorry about that. A busy few days until break, and then I'll do my best to adhere to my schedule. Hope you guys enjoy this!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 8

Riko hadn't even had time to comprehend what had happened before Kurama had leapt into action. His rose whip appeared in his hand as if from thin air, and he lashed it at the hole in the floor.

It hit solid ground – the hole had closed itself behind the two boys too fast for even a tendril of the rose vine to snake its way into the space below the floor.

_Oh __dear,_ Riko thought, staring at the space where the hole had been. And then, immediately after the first thought, _Did __Kurama __just __curse?_

It certainly sounded like it, before Kurama suppressed the noise and withdrew his whip. Riko gave herself a moment to think about the possibility and then shook her head. It really wasn't the time for such things. Maybe later, she'd discuss with herself the possibility of Kurama cursing.

For the moment, she just stepped up closer to Kurama and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned, a bit of ice still in his green eyes, she asked, "Do you want to go after them?"

It seemed to take a moment for the question to penetrate through Kurama's anger - _At __being __tricked?_ Riko wondered – and register in his mind.

His eyes cleared, the ice melting, and then shook his head. "No. It would be a fruitless activity." He glanced at the walls. "It would be better that we figure out how to get out of here and continue down to the power source.

"…So, we're just going to leave them?" Riko asked.

"Forget the detective." Hiei had also taken to eyeing the walls that enclosed them so entirely. "Kurama's right. They know what we're supposed to be doing. If they're smart, they'll be heading towards the power source too." He unsheathed his sword, eyeing the walls meditatively, as if wondering where the best spot to hit them would be.

"Is that alright with you?" Kurama asked, looking at Riko.

"Yeah. It's fine."

Surprised at the lack of revolt in the healer's voice, Kurama watched her for a moment and then turned to look at the wall blocking them from moving forward. Together with Hiei, he slashed at the wall, the combination of sword and thorns working to reduce it to rubble.

Standing back a bit, Riko watched them. She was twisting the ring on her finger again, the gold bands sparking little sparks around the silver center. It irked her that they seemed to be breaking down the wall fine without her, which meant that there was no need for her to play with her little toy again.

_Not __that __it __would __be __smart __to __play __with __it, __especially __since __these __people __are __Koenma__'__s __private __police __right __now,_ Riko thought. She resisted the urge and let her hands drop loosely to her sides, resigning herself to watching the two demons work in almost perfect sync.

It wasn't long before the wall had been reduced to rubble. When Kurama lowered his whip and Hiei sheathed his sword again, Riko stepped forward until she stood close behind Kurama. She looked up at him and then, slightly mockingly, bowed to him and gestured towards the now open space before them.

With a slightly strained smile, Kurama turned and started to move forward, recalling his whip as he did so. Riko followed very closely behind him, trying to match her steps with his completely, while Hiei, looking a bit irritated, took up the rear, guard up.

They walked in silence for several moments before they reached a split in the path. Kurama stopped, and Riko flailed for a moment before managing to keep from hitting Kurama. Instead, she went stumbling back, almost crashing into Hiei, who stepped out of the way just in time.

"Fool," He muttered.

"Jerk," Riko countered instantly, regaining her balance and stepping up behind Kurama again, taking hold of the back of his shirt. It might make it harder to walk, but it also made it pretty impossible for anyone approaching from the front to see her – and if no demons saw her, they wouldn't know that she was a possible opponent for them.

_Which means, I don't have to choose._

The return insult hadn't even garnered a reaction from Hiei, but there was something about the way that she walked and moved that piqued his curiosity. A faint outline of a large, almond like shape appeared in the center of his forehead and he turned his head so that he was staring at Riko's back.

As they rounded a corner, Kurama slowed slightly, forcing Riko to stop moving for a moment and adjust to the new pace. She was tempted to peer beyond him, but knew that if it was what she thought it would be, that would completely ruin her cover.

_Besides ,__all __these __demons __are __pretty __chatty,_ She thought. _If __there __is __one __there, __it __won__'__t __stay __quiet__ –_

"Welcome." The voice was deep, but pleasantly so, and Riko found herself smiling just at the sound of it, though she quickly stifled the emotion. "I am Jun, guardian of this section of the Labyrinthine."

Riko heard the sound of rustling cloth – _Human __formed __then, __probably._

"To pass by me, you must fight by my conditions and my rules. I choose who I wish to fight, and if that person cannot beat me, then we move on to someone else."

"We know," Kurama said, voice calm.

Hiei stepped out more to the side and moved forward a bit, so that he was almost next to Kurama.

"Very well. I'm glad you are prepared." The teeth in the voice were audible as the demon hissed, "I'll enjoy your blood."

"Enough with the dramatics," Hiei snapped. "Hurry up and choose." He stepped forward so that he was align with Kurama, the combination of their two forms making it impossible to see Riko.

There was a pause, and then the voice said, "Redhead –" Kurama began to step forward. "I want that delightfully aromatic girl who stands behind you."

"Who do you speak of?" Kurama said, looking behind him, without moving the majority of his body, effectively still hiding Riko from sight.

"Don't play with me," The voice replied coolly. "I can smell her."

Riko winced – _whoops_ – and stepped out into the open. Kurama was grimacing in concern for her and worry for the mission. Hiei just looked irritated.

She began to play with her ring, sliding it halfway off her finger and then back on, looking at the demon facing her.

He was human shaped, but with pointed ears and a height that would have been very hard for a human to achieve. He was dressed in fine silks that draped in an effortless fashion over his hard, muscled body – Riko could see the tightening of the silks as he shifted and was impressed.

_Now,_ Riko thought, twisting the ring between her fingers, _the __question __is:_

_Do I help myself or the mission?_

End of Chapter 8

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **A bit of torture for those of you who want to know Riko's power. It might appear in the next few chapters. It might not. ^ - ^ We'll see ~ Please let me know if YUSUKE is too out of character!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 9

From the middle of the darkened room - "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow –"

And simultaneously, from the space right next to the middle – "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck –"

And then –

"What are they saying, sis?"

"I dunno – human slang?"

Kuwabara, in the middle of the room, and Yusuke, right next to him, both froze. They stared around into the dark, both visually blind.

"Kuwabara, tell me I didn't imagine that," Yusuke muttered.

"No, you didn't, Urameshi." Kuwabara squinted. "I heard it, too." He gave up trying to find the people and closed his eyes, looking for their energy.

It didn't take more than a moment for him to spot the tight balls of power that were on either side of them, radiating in a way that didn't seem at all friendly. Sweat popped out on Kuwabara's skin. They seemed to be moving -

"Kuwabara?"

"It's those things that ambushed us. They fell with us. Get up." Kuwabara was already scrambling to his feet himself as he spoke. "Hurry up, Urameshi. I don't think those things come in peace."

"Alright, alright." Yusuke got to his feet, grumbling to himself. He squinted into the darkness, unable to see anything at all and barely able to sense the two other life forms in the room aside from him and Kuwabara.

Yusuke had never been one to be afraid of the dark. It was just something that existed sometimes, just like light existed sometimes. He didn't really get people who were scared of the dark – it's not like it could hurt you – but now, in the complete darkness, he was starting to get it.

"Kuwabara, any way we can turn on the lights in here?" He asked, keeping his voice low.

After a moment, Kuwabara said. "Try to concentrate your spirit energy in the palm of your hand. I think we might be able to make little lamps if we do that." He started to do as he had instructed Yusuke and after a moment of intense concentration, an orange light, a bit like firelight, began to glow around the palm of his hands, shedding dull light all around.

"Whoa. Very nice," Yusuke said, whistling softly, giving up on his own attempts. "Where'd you learn that trick?"

Grinning, Kuwabara said, "Genkai showed it to me." He concentrated on widening the circle of light, very aware that it made them an easy target, and then stopped and stared in shock at what he saw.

The creatures who had ambushed their group, who had fallen with them, had been monstrous, completely inhuman beasts, but the creatures standing on either side of them weren't – in fact, they were just the opposite. They were –

"Oh wow. They're kids! Man, Kuwabara, you were pulling one on me weren't you?" Yusuke, grinning, started forward.

Kuwabara grabbed him. "You idiot, they're our enemies."

Yusuke snorted. "Kuwabara. Look at them. They're kids. They can't hurt us." He took another step towards the children.

They were still identical, the only trait that they had in common with the monsters they'd been previously. Now though, they were small, child-sized, if judging by human years, Yusuke figured that they'd be around six or seven years of age.

They had large brown eyes, semi-chocolate, almost dark brown. Their skin was so pale that it was literally translucent – Yusuke could see tiny, pale veins underneath their skin, delicately formed – and their hair was very pale black, almost gray.

Their movements were extremely graceful, and as soon as Yusuke had started forward, the two had rushed together. Now they stood next to each other, holding each other's hand, eyes large as they stared up at the two humans.

"Hey ~" Yusuke said, breaking out of Kuwabara's grip and hunkering down in front of the toddlers. "What's up? What's your names?"

Shyly, they looked at each other and then back to Yusuke. Finally, the one on the left said, "Meha."

Immediately after her, in a voice that was exactly the same, the one of the right quietly said, "Suzu."

"Meha and Suzu, huh? That's cute." Yusuke grinned. "So, what are you two doing down here?"

They shifted closer together, huddling as if to protect from cold. Meha said, after a moment, "Looking for our sister."

"Your sister?" As Yusuke spoke, Kuwabara carefully edged forward, keeping his light constant and getting ready for any sudden attacks. "Is she like you guys?"

The two looked up at him and nodded.

"Oh yeah? So what's her name?"

After a moment's look at Suzu, Meha answered, "Yashi."

"Hm. Okay. You want help finding her?"

"Yusuke! We don't have time for –"

Before Kuwabara could finish, the two girls had stepped back, eyes going blank and disappeared.

Yusuke froze where he was crouching. "Whoa. What was that?"

Tentatively, Kuwabara felt around with his spirit sense and then shook his head. "They're gone. I can't feel anything anymore. It's just us."

Blowing out a sigh, Yusuke hopped back to his feet and looked at Kuwabara. "So." He looked up at the ceiling. "I guess we find the others?"

Slowly, Kuwabara shook his head. He glanced around him. They were in a dull, gold hallway, and he could feel a slight breeze several meters down – they were near a cross section. He expanded his senses until he felt the air all around for several hundred meters – there was nothing like Kurama or Hiei or Riko's power source anywhere nearby.

He told Yusuke so.

The hotheaded spirit detective sucked in his breath, irritated. "So, what? We just sit here and wait for some scary demons to come and chomp on us?"

Ignoring the sarcasm, Kuwabara paced around for a moment and then said, "I think we should head towards the power source."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Why that?"

"Well, Kurama's still with the others, and he probably knows that there's no way that he can find us, so he'd try to complete the mission, so it's better that we do that, cause if we try, we'll both meet up sometime." He looked around and walked forward. "I think we should go that way."

Letting out an irritated sigh, Yusuke shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "Whatever. You're the compass, spirit sense guy. Go for it. I'll be right behind you."

This statement held true for about five seconds until they reached the intersection. One path went slightly downwards, while the other continued flat. Kuwabara went for the flat one, while Yusuke started heading down.

Both stopped and looked at each other.

"Where are you going?" They asked in unison.

Then –

"Botan said to go down for the stupid battery –"

"The battery's this way –"

They both stopped and looked at each other for several long moments.

Finally, Yusuke sighed and broke contact. He headed towards Kuwabara's path. "Alright. We'll take this one." He walked past Kuwabara and started down the flat plain. "But if we come out on the other side of the world without seeing any batteries, Koenma's going to be pissed."

Kuwabara paused for a moment. He looked at the downward path. It was true. Botan had told them to head down to get to the center of the Labyrinthine, and all the maps of the Twisted Prison had shown that the battery was very far down.

_But __it__'__s __not __that __way._ Of that he was certain. Botan and the maps might have been right to an extent, but he could feel the darkness of the power source of Raja as clearly as he could see the spirit light that he held in his hand.

"What the hell, Kuwabara, you sleeping on your feet?" Came Yusuke's annoyed roar. "Hurry the hell up or teach me that light trick, 'cause I can't see shit."

Snorting, Kuwabara took a last look at the downward path and then headed after Yusuke.

End of Chapter 9

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Some information about Riko's past in a chapter a bit longer than normal. Maybe I'll drop some tidbits about her weapon soon. ^ - ^

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 10

Something very sharp and pointy poked Riko in the back as she stepped forward. She stiffened and then relaxed and then stiffened again.

It was unlikely that it was an enemy who'd gotten past Kurama and Hiei, and she knew that Kurama wouldn't do something like stick something sharp into her back. So that meant that it had to be Hiei, and since it was Hiei that meant the pointy thing was his sword.

_Oh dear._

"Hiei!" Kurama said, surprised and a bit shocked. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure she doesn't do anything to sabotage us," Hiei said back, voice barely civil. He turned his attention back to Riko. "You'd better do what's best for this mission."

Riko's mind was starting to race. There were lots of things running through her head, chief among them: _Oh shoot. What the hell. _And then right behind that, _Dammit. This guy would actually stab me._ And right behind _that_, _What's best for the mission…well technically, if I took the route that's good for me, that would still be good for the mission, unless someone got really badly hurt and I needed the power for something –_

The sword pressed harder against her back, cutting off the scurrying thoughts. She kept her face very calm and said, "I'll do what's best for the mission." She started to step forward. _But I'll just keep it between me and that demon. No need –_

The sword broke Riko's skin and a drop of blood welled up. She froze.

"Don't hide anything from us," Hiei said, coolly. He didn't look at Kurama to see his reaction.

Kurama was standing on the side, observing with a blank face. He'd gotten over his initial shock and looked to be deciding which side he should join.

Irritated and pained at the tiny cut, Riko stepped forward again to free herself. Hiei didn't follow her this time. She waited for a moment and then turned her attention to the demon in front of her, getting a clear look for the first time.

He was very, very tall, with long brown hair that was finer even than Kurama's. His eyes were deep and dark, a shade of blue that was rarely achieved by humans or demons. He was dressed in long robes and looked more like a queen's consort than a demon imprisoned for terrible deeds.

Currently, he was smiling at Riko, and as she turned her attention to him, he held out a hand. Riko felt an instant attraction, and then stomped on it. She stepped forward – _of my own will,_ she told herself – and said coolly, "I am Keun."

She almost heard Hiei's eyes narrow.

And then immediately after that,_ Hiei knows who I am. This demon had better. Crap. What if we've gone so far down that these people haven't heard of me yet?_

But luckily, her fears were unfounded. Jun stepped back, his smooth face breaking into a frown. "Keun? There's no way." He steadied himself and drew himself up, flashing dark eyes at Riko, who clenched her fists to stop herself from shivering. "Prove it."

Riko sighed. But she had expected it. No one would believe such a claim without proof. It would be stupid.

_So I guess I'll just have to cut myself again._ She glanced at her pinky and decided that – since the cut for Oliandra had already almost healed – she would just cut that finger again. It was her least used finger. She glanced at her shoulder and the dried blood under the bandage and sighed, wishing that it would work as proof, but knew that unless the blood was fresh, no demon would accept it as proof.

_Besides, it's already closing up._ She thought. She had been able to feel the wound mending itself over the last half hour, and it was starting to knit faster now that it was closer to being healed. It was one of the quirks of being a healer.

As she started to pull her ring off, she got an idea for a bit of revenge on Hiei for cutting into her back. She started to turn –

"Don't even think about it," Hiei snapped. "If you try to cut yourself with this sword, I will kill you."

A bit put out, Riko sighed. _What is the sword too good for me?_ She wondered.

"Yes," Hiei said, without a second thought. His third eye was faintly glowing in the middle of his forehead.

"He's telepathic," Kurama said quietly to Riko.

"Yeah. I was turning towards that guess." Turning back, Riko pulled the ring off her finger. She held it on one side and delicately twisted the gold, making little spikes roll out.

Very carefully, Riko slashed the gold spikes across the tip of her little finger, creating a sizable cut. She waited for the blood to well up and began to walk towards Jun.

As she did so, the blood that clung to the golden spikes glowed and then spread, turning the spikes into a deep red. The color flashed down to the other side, and Riko could feel the power building in it.

Mentally, she apologized to it. She wasn't going to use it unless absolutely necessary. While using treasure items didn't take as much energy as using just one's spirit energy, it still took necessary power that Riko might need to heal her teammates.

_Though, _She thought, _considering how jerky some members are, I'm not sure I want to heal them._ She paused and then directed a thought at Hiei, just in case he was still listening._ I'm talking to you, Hiei._

There was no answer.

Riko stopped in front of Jun and held her hand out to him, pinky first.

Very delicately – _almost scared, I'd say,_ Riko thought, a bit sadistically – Jun took it and lifted the hand to his nose. He sniffed carefully and then, very, very slowly, licked Riko's pinky, clearing it of the blood.

After a moment, he sighed and let her hand drop. He stepped back and to the side and knelt on the floor, bowing his head to Riko. "I fold," He said, very softly.

Smiling, Riko turned and gestured at the other two demons. They cautiously made their way over. Riko gestured at Kurama to lead and then fell in step behind him.

As soon as they cleared Jun and were at least fifty meters away, Kurama slowed and dropped back to walk next to Riko, looking at her. "So," He said, quietly. "You're 'Keun'?"

"Yeah…" Riko shrugged. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"She's a thief," Hiei said at the same time.

Riko turned and gave him a small glare. _I'm a treasure hunter,_ She thought obstinately, but then quickly quenched the thought.

Ignoring both the look and the thought, Hiei said to Kurama dryly, "I'm surprised that you haven't heard of her."

Coughing, Kurama said, "Unfortunately, I've been a bit preoccupied lately. School's been getting busy."

"That's good," Riko said. "Concentrate on school. Ignore the little rumors going around the demon underworld."

Kurama looked at her.

Hiei snorted in derision. "Why bother hiding it anymore? I can read your mind."

"Why are you hiding it at all?" Kurama asked. His voice softened a bit. "If you're ashamed of your past mistakes, don't be. Hiei and I have both reformed –"

Hiei snorted again.

"Well, I have at least. Hiei is on the path."

Hiei snorted a third time.

Ignoring him, Kurama asked again, "So why? We won't think worse of you."

Not looking at him, Riko said coolly, "I'd rather not talk about it." She thought internally, _Lalalalalalala ~ _

"Maybe Koenma hasn't let her off yet," Hiei said, ignoring Riko's attempt to keep him from reading her deeper thoughts. "Or," He looked at Riko, "Maybe he doesn't know."

Riko was twisting her ring again, which still had bloody edges. _I really shouldn't answer this. Really shouldn't – oh what the hell._ She met Hiei's eyes squarely. "Oh, he knows."

Hiei picked up on the change immediately. "Oh really?"

Softly, Kurama asked, "Why don't you tell us?"

"…I'm known as Keun in the underworld. I'm not sure who started it, but it stuck. It's my alias when I travel underground. My occupation outside of helping Koenma is treasure hunting –"

"Stealing."

Ignoring the interjection, Riko continued, " – And since most treasures are guarded pretty heavily," She shrugged. "I've killed lots of demons."

"Treasure hunting isn't illegal," Kurama pointed out. "Why did you want to hide this?"

After a moment's hesitation, Riko admitted, "Some of the treasures I've found were kind of already in other people's possessions." She held up the ring. "This, for example. Koenma isn't really happy that I sometimes take from others."

"So why aren't you in jail?" Hiei asked coldly. He was slowly muting his connection with Riko's mind as the story poured straight from her lips.

"…I help Koenma a lot. He's forgiven me."

"…But what's the point of hiding this from us?" Kurama asked.

Riko sighed. "One of these days, Koenma's temper is not going to hold. When that happens, the team that he sends out to capture me might be you guys – and now you actually know who I am and what I look like."

"Doesn't Koenma?"

"Yeah, but I made him promise that if he ever sent someone after me, he wouldn't tell them anything that wasn't common knowledge among the demons. As a final 'gift'." She rolled her eyes.

Kurama thought about Riko's words for several long moments. "And now, you've told us."

"That's right." She looked him boldly in the eyes.

"Are you not worried about us going after you anymore? You could have hid it longer."

"Well, I'm assuming that Hiei would have dug further and that would have given me brain damage and then he would have told you and I would have been useless." She shrugged incredibly casually. "This way, I don't have to hide, and I figure by the end of this devil's trap, I'll have brought you guys back from the brink of dying so many times that you won't want to come after me even if Koenma begs you."

Hiei snorted.

End of Chapter 10

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Sorry this is late, but I've been feeling a bit down lately. Please let me know if it feels too abrupt and not enough transitions. Tell me if anything feels too weird or too much of a stretch of OOC. Thanks guys! (Again, sorry, it's late!)

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 11

"They're getting closer, Greatness."

_How many? And which ones?_

"The demon Hiei, Yoko Kurama, and the human girl, Riko Isshi. The other two are headed for the Tree of Life still. The human Kuwabara has sensed that we've twisted the path."

_How far are they?_

"Yoko Kurama is very close to here, only three demon prisons away. The human Kuwabara is much further from the Tree of Life, about ten demons." A cold strand of sweat trickled its way down the blond demon's forehead, and he resisted the urge to wipe it.

_Very well. Prepare me._

The demon almost lifted his head to ask if his master was sure, but bit his lip just in time. Blue liquid grew under his teeth. He steadied himself and then replied, "Yes, Greatness."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"A human?" The smooth skinned, pale-eyed, albino demon looked at Riko in disgust. "You're traveling with a human girl?" She covered her nose. "Ugh, she smells disgusting."<p>

"Like roses. I know," Riko said, waving her hand around her. She'd gotten used to the scent about five minutes after Kurama had sprayed her with it to prevent another Jun incident. It effectively camouflaged her scent, added to Kurama's image, and along with walking right behind Kurama, made her impossible to see or smell.

Kurama sniffed the air delicately. "I think it's a lovely smell."

Without a second thought, Riko retorted, "You're a rose freak," and then smiled lightly at him to show that she was kidding.

Hiei rolled his eyes. "Don't waste time, Kurama. Just hurry and finish this trash." Before Riko had stepped out from behind Kurama and revealed herself, the fair-haired demon had already chosen Kurama – who gave off much less evil aura than Hiei – to fight.

The white demon on the other side growled. "Watch your mouth, bitch. You're next after this –" She looked at Kurama and sniffed, "Human wannabe." She looked at Riko and smiled. "And then, I'll have myself a little snack."

Dryly, Riko said, "I thought I smelled disgusting."

"We can fix that."

"Oh joy. Have fun, Kurama." She patted Kurama on the shoulder and walked back to stand just a bit behind Hiei, where she hoped that she would be out of the splash zone. _If there is a splash zone. I wonder if Kurama is a messy killer…_ She looked at Hiei. "Is he?"

Hiei barely spared her a glance. "What are you talking about?"

…_Okay, I guess he stopped reading my mind._ "Is Kurama a messy killer?"

Kurama, who had not yet walked out of earshot, looked back at Riko briefly before taking out his rose whip and lashing it in a long circle around him. The albino wrinkled her nose.

"Really? That's your weapon of choice?" The albino made a tsking noise and untangled herself from her own legs and stood up in one smooth motion. "How fruity can you get?"

She reached behind her back and unhooked a machete from her back. She flipped it several times until it grew into a machete three times its original size. She held it one handed and slid into a guard position briefly before leaping at Kurama.

Kurama dodged.

Hiei made a 'humph' noise. Riko glanced at him. He had a cold smile on his face, and his arms were crossed as if he were waiting for something.

…_Which I guess means that he's pretty sure Kurama will win._ Riko looked back at Kurama, who was now lashing at the white demon, keeping her at a safe distance.

Jumping, Kurama swung hard once, and the whip cut straight through the white demon's arm. As he landed, her arm dropped with a small thud to the floor.

"…Ow," Riko muttered, rubbing her own arm.

Hiei threw her a disgusted glance.

The albino didn't even flinch, even as Kurama skipped to the side and slashed again, almost taking out her other arm. She dodged out of the way just in time and then skated over to where her arm lay, picking it up and reattaching it.

"…Wow," Riko said, impressed. And then, exactly two seconds later, "I can do that."

Hiei ignored her.

"Very nice whip you got there, rose boy. Is that all you can do?" She swung her machete, but the blade was so large and unwieldy that by the time it reached Kurama, he had easily leapt from its path.

Kurama landed behind her and turned around, smiling. "That's a very handy talent you have there." He leapt forward again, lashing his whip out. It caught the white demon on the same arm, but this time, the arm never hit the floor. Kurama caught it as he skated by, easily dodging another stroke from the machete.

"Wow, she's strong," Riko said, impressed that the girl was still holding the machete upright with only one hand.

"Weak," Hiei retorted. "I would have thought that the prisoners in the Twisted Prison would have been more of a challenge. Kurama will have this finished in moments."

And of course, that was when things started to go wrong.

A tremor went through Kurama and he dropped to his knees.

"Kurama?" Riko almost took a step forward, but stopped herself just in time.

"Kurama!" Hiei uncrossed his arms and had one hand on his sword hilt in less than a second.

Shaking, Kurama looked at the arm that he held in one hand. A tendril of the skin had slipped itself against his and there was something flowing between the two. He tugged, but the skin simply stretched itself to accommodate.

"Okay, that's disgusting," Riko murmured under her breath. She shifted her head to try to get a better look at the arm.

"Wow, really? Aiming for the same arm twice in a row?" The girl shook her head, tsking. "So unimaginative." She was smiling. "But then, don't feel bad. A lot of humans and demons have been caught in this trap. I can't blame them. It seems like the logical thing to do, doesn't it? Taking parts of me so I can't reattach them –"

Tensing, Hiei prepared to spring forward –

"No, Hiei!" Kurama was still shaking, but he hadn't fallen any further. "I don't need help." He had dropped his whip and was reaching for the arm with his other hand. In one swift movement, he had pulled the arm far from his own and wound the stretched skin between the two around his whip where it swiftly broke. He threw the arm to the far side of the room.

Tsking, the albino started to go for her arm. "That was a useless move," She said as she walked casually towards it. "Once I touch you, it doesn't matter if you can disconnect the source. The poison will eat you alive." She stopped in front of her arm. "And since you have so little of it, you'll die slower – painfully." Smiling, she reached down for her arm –

And exploded into a mess of tangled vines and lovely purple flowers.

"…I'm not sure if that's pretty or disgusting," Riko muttered to herself. Louder, she asked, "What was that?"

"I suspected that she was up to something, so that first time, I placed a seed in her body," Kurama said, smiling slightly. The smile faded as another dull, woozy feeling swam towards him. He swayed, barely managing to catch himself with one hand and then collapsed.

"Kurama," Hiei stood by his side before Riko had even registered the fact that Kurama had fallen. He caught Kurama as he fell and looked at his arm. It was slowly turning dark and the color was spreading.

"Oh dear," Riko said, running over. "I guess I should do my job." She knelt next to Kurama and checked briefly to see if he was awake.

He was. Barely.

_That's not good,_ Riko thought. She placed a hand just above Kurama's forehead. Little purple sparks, glowing very softly slipped into Kurama, and his eyes very slowly closed. _Better to sleep._

She turned her attention to Kurama's left arm, the one that had had the most contact with the white demon's skin and began to concentrate on it.

Faint slivers of poison ran in Kurama's arm. They were spreading down his bloodstream to his heart and lungs, where they were starting to restrict his breathing. For a deadly poison, it was working very slow – not enough had been inserted to assure a quick death - but to anyone on the bad end of the poison, it must have seemed rather fast.

_Heal first or get rid of the poison?_ Riko wondered. The poison was damaging Kurama's heart and lungs, and if she didn't get rid of it fast, they might fail. However, if she worked on getting rid of the poison without healing, Kurama's heart and lungs might still fail due to already being damaged.

Hiei watched her very closely. His third eye was glowing faintly again, the outline just visible as he peered into Riko's mind and saw her dilemma. He opened his mouth to get her to hurry up, but before he could, Riko had placed her hand on Kurama's arm.

Pale purple fire streamed into Kurama's arm, targeting the poison spreading into his system, getting a lift from Kurama's own blood and a boost from Riko's urgency.

Still holding onto Kurama, Hiei eavesdropped a little further as Riko's power quickly chomped up the poison, forming tiny purple globs. Suddenly, Riko pulled off her ring and twisted it, creating the golden spikes and then slashed Kurama's arm, making a small cut.

Purple blobs of poison came tricking out along with a bit of Kurama's own dark blood. This continued for about thirty seconds until Riko was sure the poison had all been ejected. She then turned her attention to the heart and lungs.

Both had been seared slightly by the poison, and Kurama's heart was beating a bit irregularly. _Might have to reset that,_ Riko thought, biting her lip.

She placed her hand above Kurama's chest and sent her power seeping into Kurama's lungs, first repairing any damage done, then calming them slightly. The purple glow then moved to Kurama's heart. Riko counted the beats of her own heart for a moment and then started to push power into Kurama's heart at the same beat, a beat slightly off from his own.

His heart faltered for a moment, stopped and then started again, the sound of his heart falling into sync with Riko's.

Riko waited for a moment to allow the heartbeat to stabilize and then slowly pulled her power out of Kurama, purple wisps snaking back under her skin and vanishing. She let out of very light sigh and then looked up at Hiei, raising an eyebrow.

"Think I'm worth it now?"

End of Chapter 11

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Oh yay, we're finally reaching the climax. That doesn't mean this is ending anytime soon though (I hope you're not disappointed xD), especially since character relationships have barely started to develop. I hope you guys approve of that, and you'll keep reading & enjoying!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 12

"Hey, Urameshi."

Yusuke looked up from his contemplation of the benefits of cheeseburgers over hamburgers and glanced at Kuwabara. "What's up?"

Kuwabara was frowning at the floor, his spirit lamp flickering as he thought. "You know that demon child that Botan told us got kidnapped?"

After taking a brief second to pretend to think about the question, Yusuke replied, "No."

Throwing his partner an irritated glance, Kuwabara said, "The demon girl who had really rich parents or something and poisonous blood?"

This time, Yusuke didn't even bother to pretend. "Nope."

"Were you even listening to her?"

"Nope!" Yusuke rolled his shoulders and put his hands behind his head. "What's it matter? We're not here to get her back, so who cares?"

"I thought you liked kids!"

Shrugging, Yusuke replied, "Sure, but one, she's poisonous demon, and two, she's kidnapped by the most powerful demon in the world. Would rather not mess with that guy."

Irritated, Kuwabara snapped back, "Just help me remember her name." He went back to mulling over the problem. _I'm pretty sure that it began with an 's'. What was it? S -_

"Something that begins with an 's'," Yusuke said abruptly, completely breaking off Kuwabara's train of thought.

"I know that!" Kuwabara growled, just barely resisting the urge to hit Kuwabara on the head. "I need more information than that!" He ground his teeth. "It was something really…" He waved his hand, and the light flickered briefly. "Pretty."

Yusuke shrugged again. "Why do you care so much? I mean, we can't help her." He rolled his shoulders and stretched. "If you gotta think about helping a kid, why don't you think about the triplets?" He looked back briefly. "I wonder if they found Yashi yet."

Something twanged in Kuwabara's memory. He stopped. Yusuke had walked three meters past him, before he realized that Kuwabara had stopped moving. He turned around. "Yo, dip wad, what the heck?" And then, in an almost concerned voice, "You alright?"

Kuwabara managed to ignore the insult. He was thinking. "Yashi…" He looked at Yusuke. "Do you remember the names of the other two?"

"Uh…" Yusuke thought for a minute. "Meha, I think. And Suzu."

"Yashi, Meha, Suzu…" Kuwabara thought about it briefly. The names sounded so familiar, but what – besides being the triplets' names – were they from? "Suzu, Yashi, Meha." So close, but that didn't sound right either. "Meha, Suzu, Yashi."

…_I think he's snapped…_ Yusuke thought, but he decided to wait a bit longer before attempting to wake Kuwabara up.

Kuwabara was still muttering to himself, recombining the names in different orders, searching for something. "Suzu, Meha, Yashi." His eyes widened. That sounded very familiar. "Suzu Meha Yashi," He said again, smoothing out the words as much as possible. "Suzumehayashi," And then, "Suzume Hayashi."

"Pretty name. Are you good now?" Yusuke asked.

"That's her name."

"Who's? The demon child?"

"Yeah. Suzume Hayashi!" Kuwabara looked at Yusuke directly now. "Those triplets! They're Suzume Hayashi!"

"Oh shit," Yusuke groaned. "Do we have to rescue them now too?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurama glanced over at Riko, who was watching Hiei fight with an intense stare. "Are you enjoying the fight?" He asked, his voice soft as velvet.<p>

"No. Yes. I don't really care about the fight," She was absently tugging on a strand of her own hair. "I hoping he's going to get rather badly hurt after he wins, like you, so I can heal him, and make him grateful to me."

Glancing at Hiei, who was easily dodging the other demon's attacks, Kurama hid a smile. "I'm afraid you're probably going to be disappointed. Even if he was hurt, Hiei wouldn't want to be healed."

"That's why I say 'badly hurt'," Riko replied instantly. Her eyes never left Hiei, and she scowled as he skidded lightly out of the way. She glanced at him. "By the way, how does your arm feel?"

Carefully, Kurama flexed the arm that the poison had seeped through. There was a very faint scar where the skin of the white demon had attached to him, but it was barely noticeable. "It feels fine. You do neat work."

Riko smiled and turned back to watch Hiei.

His opponent was an aged demon with white hair and deep wrinkles around his brilliant eyes. They were the only thing about him that didn't look middle-aged, still dark and blue and very intense. He fought with concentrated demon power that shot from his eyes, turning them briefly black for the duration of the laser beam.

It was a weapon that was pretty useless against Hiei, since lasers could only travel in a straight line, and all Hiei had to do to dodge was take a single step to either side, which he had been doing for the past few moments.

He seemed to be getting bored with the game though, as his hand was straying to the hilt of his sword.

The other demon – who had identified himself as Bozin at the beginning of the match – seemed to be getting weary of the game as well, but in a different sense. His breathing was becoming labored and his lasers less powerful.

Shaking his head, Kurama thought to himself,_ Three hundred years ago, Bozin was one of the most legendary demon representatives ever. He could explode a demon he didn't like just by looking at him._ He looked around at the dull gold walls, a perfect cage built in a world set apart from both demons and humans. _I suppose the Twisted Prison has been taking its toll._

It was something that he had heard from Botan and Koenma when he'd gone in privately to meet with them on the mission. But it was something he was only seeing now. All the demons in the Twisted Prison, from Oliandra on, were those had committed the most atrocious crimes possible and had been sent to another world as punishment.

The Twisted Prison was designed to suck power from the prisoners inside of it, and he could see the effects of that in every demon they'd faced. All were so weak compared to what they had been. All the demons here would have been of the highest grade once upon a time. And now, they had been reduced to this.

_King Enma really does not take kindly to those who go against his rule,_ Kurama thought. And Koenma hadn't been any kinder, upholding the dimensional prison that his father had created long ago.

Bozin's next attack seemed to hit Hiei right in the stomach, until the afterimage faded and Hiei appeared above Bozin, slashing straight down.

Bozin fell to the ground, head cut open, and slowly, the life faded from his eyes.

"Darn," Kurama heard Riko mutter under her breath. He smiled lightly and then walked over to Hiei who was flicking blood from his sword. He felt Riko follow behind him, a bit grumpy.

"Well done, Hiei," Kurama said, keeping his voice a bit carefree. "Though you might have taken him out faster."

Hiei snorted. "I thought he was going to show some other skill." He looked at the dead body in mild disgust. "Unfortunately, he was just a disappointment." He turned away and began to walk towards the door to the hall.

As he did so, a wave of something struck him in the head. He stopped, then called back, "Kurama."

Eyebrows raised, Kurama walked forward and then stopped as well as the wave struck him as well. His eyes widened and then he smiled. "It seems that we have finally made it. I believe that's the power of Raja we're feeling."

Riko too stepped forward and then stopped. Her eyes widened. A cold wind seemed to be blasting at her. Cuts opened up on her arms and legs, tiny things, but each with the pain of being split open. She flinched and stepped back.

Both demons turned around to look at her.

Kurama stepped towards her, eyes narrowed in concern. "Riko, are you alright?"

Gingerly, Riko took another step forward. The same effect ensued, but this time, Riko kept walking, sucking in her breath and resisting the pain. While she could create a light barrier to stop the effects, it would be unlikely to have complete blockage unless she put a lot of her power into it – something that she couldn't afford.

Grimly, she took another step forward.

"Let's go."

End of Chapter 12

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Yay, I'm actually a few chapters ahead! But in order to let the chapters build up a bit more, Thursday and Saturday will be my skip days this week.  
>Also guys, I really want to start another fanfic (I will NOT skip out on Chiryo), so PLEASE send in requests in PMs or reviews, for OCs, oneshots, shipped pairings, or canon pairings for YYH, Rurouni Kenshin, or Inuyasha. Other anime are also fine, and I'll do my best to fulfill the request.<p>

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 13

A bit shyly, the fair-haired demon bowed and handed the beautiful scarlet and purple rose to his esteemed master.

Very coolly, in a manner that suggested that this was his daily routine, his master slipped the robe on, standing up as he did so. The robe fell smoothly against the long, loose white under robe and then tightened as the dark haired demon pulled the sash around the middle tight and adjusted his sleeves and collar.

"Our weapon, Juniper?" He said coolly, holding out his hand without looking at his most faithful servant. Though the words could be heard by the ears, there was something about the quality of them that rang deep in the mind.

Juniper bowed again and wordlessly handed the taller demon a two-meter long pole with another third meter of mildly curved blade attached to the end. It was a war scythe, made from polished wood that had been fed on blood and the spirit energy of dying humans and metal drawn from the very core of the sun, tempered and hammered until it was in the appropriate shape.

The taller demon took the war scythe and spun it in a wide circle, almost cutting his subordinate. Juniper flinched, but didn't dare move, even as the scythe came unnervingly close to his face. He stared straight ahead until his master stopped and rested with the scythe in his left hand.

"Where are they now?" Again, the quality of the voice rang in the mind.

"Close by, Greatness. They have only to get by Seishin now."

"And the other two?"

"Still well off. Once your Greatness has disposed of these demons, your Greatness will have plenty of time to destroy the humans."

"We take it that Yashi is still secure?"

"Yes, Greatness. Suzu and Meha have not managed to come close to her yet."

Cool light spilled over the greater demon's eyes – they were black, with white pupils – and then faded as he turned his head to gaze towards the other side of the room, where there was a mirror.

The mirror showed a young girl, sitting all alone in the center of a barren room, everything about her very pale and faded. Thin, almost invisible tears trickled down her cheeks, but her face and eyes were blank of all emotion, as if she had given up hope long ago.

Very slowly, Juniper's master nodded his head. "Keep it that way. She is an important hostage."

Eyes lowered, Juniper replied softly, "Yes, Greatness."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Is that human blood I smell?"<p>

Riko closed her eyes in trepidation. _Dammit. _She glanced at the tiny cuts all over her arms and legs. _I guess the smell of blood is stronger than the smell of roses._

"Damn," Hiei muttered.

Seishin stepped forward. He was wearing a sleeveless blue tunic with a black belt around the waist over a pair of gray sweats. He was handsome with green eyes set in a tanned face with a strong chin and long nose. His black hair was tipped with white, and he was built slender, but muscles stood out on his bare arms and against his clothes.

"Human blood?" He said again, coolly, restraining the eagerness. "I want to fight the one who's shedding blood."

Before Riko could decide anything, Kurama stepped forward. "That would be me," He said, his voice perfectly level. "I – hurt myself in my last fight."

After sparing Kurama a single, rather disdainful glance, Seishin looked again beyond them, and his nose twitched. "I don't think so. This smell is much more delicate, and it's human." He looked at Kurama again. "Much as you look human, I don't believe you are one."

…_Dammit, so I have to fight in the end after all._ Riko stepped behind Kurama and whispered quietly, "I got this."

Louder she said, "I am a demon killer, treasure hunter, one of the most feared humans in the all the realms, Demon, Human, and Spirit." She heard Hiei snort, but ignored it. Drama was necessary to incite fear. "I am the woman with a thousand sides, merciless and unstoppable – I am Keun." And then a pause, "Do you still wish to fight me?"

From her close proximity to Kurama, Riko could see him twitch slightly in amusement despite the seriousness of the whole thing and couldn't help smiling herself. Grandstanding had never been a respected practice in fights.

It seemed as if Seishin's eyes started to glow a deep green and a hungry look entered into them. "Oh yes," He said coldly. "Definitely. Come out, Ms. Keun. I'm eager to fight you."

…_Dammit._ Riko hesitated for a moment.

To the demons next to Riko, Seishin said, "I can't believe you. You're traveling with Keun, and you haven't taken a bite yet? Don't you have any want for power?"

Hiei's eyes narrowed. "I have no desire for second-rate meat."

_Gee, thanks,_ Riko thought, still hiding behind Kurama. She shot Hiei a glare, but didn't comment on his comment.

Seishin laughed, a sound that was almost pretty –_ if it wasn't coming from someone who wanted to kill and probably eat me, _Riko thought. "Are you stupid?" Hiei's eyes narrowed and Kurama put out a cautioning hand. He laughed again. "Obviously, you're not well informed. Haven't you ever heard of the blood of Keun?"

_Oh dear._ Riko closed his eyes. _Not this again._

"What do you mean?" Kurama asked.

Shaking his head, Seishin replied, "The blood of Keun? The stories say that if you drink her blood, you'll gain her healing powers – you can never be harmed again, and you will achieve immortality for yourself." He licked his lips and looked towards Kurama, but past him. "Come out, Ms. Keun."

Quietly, Kurama asked, without moving his lips, "Is that true, Riko?"

"…Are you going to try to drink my blood if it is?" Riko asked, exasperated.

"Yes," Hiei said without hesitation.

Throwing him a dirty look, Riko hissed, "Kurama, move." And then after a moment, "Please."

He hesitated and then stepped to the side.

"That story," She spat, "Is a _story!_ You're not going to get anything from drinking my blood except maybe a kick in the nose if I'm still alive when you do it. My body has no more nutritional benefits than any other humans." She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Man, where do these idiots get this stuff? Just because I can heal doesn't mean you'll be able to heal if you eat me. Stupid."

Seishin's faintly hungry smile never faltered. "You can't fool me, Ms. Keun." His eyes began to glow more brightly, the green picking up an edge of dark red that looked anything but Christmas-y. "Come. Let's test this 'story.'"

Rolling her eyes, Riko walked forward.

As she did so, Riko pulled off the bandage on her shoulder, letting it flutter lightly to the ground and her eyes began to glow, a soft mix of purple and blue. The lingering cut on her shoulder along with the rest of the tiny cuts on her arms closed up and then vanished, without even a scar left. To ensure success, it was necessary to use a bit of her healing powers on herself.

Riko pulled off her ring and twisted, creating two sharp lines of golden spikes. It glimmered for a moment before Riko slashed it across her own wrist, the wound splattering the golden spikes with blood before closing up immediately, leaving only smooth skin behind. The effect had been had though – the golden spikes turned crimson and began to glow.

Stopping ten meters in front of Seishin, Riko held the ring out in front of her. Purple fire began to ripple from her skin, seeping down her arms into the hand that delicately held the ring.

_Alright. It's time to feed the treasure._

End of Chapter 13

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Riko's fight finally ~ Hope you guys enjoy it. I sort of skipped over the really bloody parts because this is rated T after all, and I don't really want to subject you guys to all that gore. Please let me know if it's too jerky, cause it kind of felt that way when I was writing it, and also if it was overly dramatic/unbelievable. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 14

" – And if we find the triplets, then we'll be able to stop Raja's hold on Koenma and then –" Kuwabara froze. "Did you feel that?"

Yusuke, who'd been only half-heartedly listening up to that point, suddenly jerked up. "What? What's going on? What?" A blue glow started to grow around Yusuke's hand.

Kuwabara looked around. "I just felt a huge wave of power." He shivered. "I think something just woke up in here." He looked around, worried. "We need to get to that battery fast, or I think something bad is going to happen."

"Well how close is it?" Yusuke asked, dimming his spirit energy, but keeping a bit on hand just in case.

Closing his eyes, Kuwabara reached out with his spirit senses and scowled. "It's still pretty far away, and I can feel a lot of demons between us and it." He looked around. "There's got to be a faster way. We don't have that much time." Kuwabara stared at the wall, wondering if he could break it down.

"Do you want to get to the battery faster?"

"Yes, Yusuke, that's what I've been saying –" Kuwabara broke off mid-word and turned. The voice that had spoken wasn't Yusuke's. It was too soft – too sweet – too girlish –

"Oh look," Yusuke murmured under his breath. "The lost girls are back again." He hunkered down in front of Suzu and Meha. "Hey guys – girls – whatever." He shook his head. "Did you find your sister?"

Suzu stepped back shyly behind Meha, who said, after a moment, "No. We haven't." She looked up at Yusuke and Kuwabara with large, chocolate eyes. "Would you help us?"

"Uh…"

"We can't," Kuwabara interrupted. "We have to get to the battery."

"We can help." The words were said in unison by the two girls, but the only way that Yusuke and Kuwabara could see that was because both their mouths moved. Only one voice came out, just a bit stronger than Meha's voice alone.

Yusuke's eyebrows went up again.

The two stepped closer, heads tilted up and asked, "Would you like our help?"

_Okay, that's a bit creepy…_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Hiei grunted and crossed his arms, leaning back slightly. "So we finally get to see the thief in action –"<p>

"Treasure hunter," Riko called back. Under her breath she muttered, "It's not my fault if some treasures happen to belong to other people at the time I find them." She turned her attention back to her ring and concentrated a last burst of spirit energy into the ring.

Nothing seemed to happen for a moment.

Everyone was frozen, waiting for something to occur.

And then a brilliant light began to sparkle from the silver and red ring. It began to glow, giving off red and purple sparks as it did so. It slipped from Riko's grip and hovered in front of her, crackling. Within seconds, it was as long as Riko's forearm and five times as wide. The spikes now reached two meters out on each side, and it burned faintly purple and red.

The black markings that covered the silver center began to pulse and move slowly. A sliver of the black reached back through the air to Riko's outstretched hand, where it wrapped itself around and started to move up.

It snaked up to her neck, leaving the ring pure silver and wrapped around twice before splitting in two directions, one heading up her chin and the other creeping under her clothes. The one going up split even more, two strands heading directly towards Riko's eyes, encircling them with thin lines of darkness.

There was a moment of growth and then a pulsation – once, twice – and standing in front of Seishin, covered with black spirals and letters, with a spiked red and silver wheel floating in front of her – was Keun.

"Beautiful," Seishin said improvingly. He stepped forward. "I believe I'll get started as –"

All the breath left Seishin's lungs as Keun twisted her hand and slammed the wheel into Seishin. A last moment twist saved Seishin from being speared by the spikes, but the center of the wheel had struck Seishin squarely nevertheless.

_Ouch,_ Kurama thought, eyebrows raised. _No mercy, I see._ Kurama looked over at Hiei.

Hiei said nothing, but there was something in his stance that told Kurama that he approved.

Meanwhile, Keun had twitched her hand and the wheel rose into the air again for a brief moment before slamming down again. This time, Seishin managed to dodge the blow entirely, though he still looked slightly winded from the first blow.

Instead the wheel hit the ground hard and left large, angry-looking dents before it pulled up again and began to charge at Seishin again.

Flipping out of the way, Seishin ducked the next blow and ran towards Keun, stopping right in front of her and kicking at her side.

The blow landed, but the black spirals on Keun's skin seems to stretch, absorbing the kick and neutralizing its force, while Keun jerked a finger towards her and brought the wheel crashing towards Seishin.

Seishin waited until the last moment and then jumped out of the way. The wheel stopped millimeters from Keun's face, but there was no reaction from Keun.

Kurama's eyes narrowed. There was something about the way that Keun moved, something about how she looked to the side of her target but not directly at it, something about the way her eyes were a slightly lighter, foggier brown than they had been before. The dark lines around her eyes looked thicker than they had been at the beginning of the battle.

Dodging yet another attack from the spiked wheel, Seishin leaped to the far side of the room and waited for Keun to send the wheel his way before he rolled out of the way and sprinted until he was right in front of Keun.

His eyes began to glow as the wheel came back. His voice rippled and shifted like falling water when he spoke, "Dear, this has been fun." The wheel slowed down slightly. "You're very good at this – I have not been disappointed." The wheel stopped.

"Oh of course," Kurama heard Hiei mutter. He heard the slight hiss of a sword being drawn from its sheathe and put out his hand to stop Hiei. The other demon scowled at him. "Do you want to wait for her to become a food before I interfere?"

In an even voice, Kurama replied, "I thought you didn't care if she became food," And then before Hiei could react, "Just wait." He looked back at Keun. The black spirals on the side of her face were creeping a bit higher, wrapping themselves around her ears, and the spiked wheel was starting, very silently, to spin.

Seishin placed one long-fingered hand on Keun's face and lifted her chin so that her misty brown eyes locked with his faintly glowing ones. It was time to finish the girl. "In fact, you're so skilled, I don't believe this ring does you credit. Let me take it from you. I'll give you something better to fight with. Does that sound good, dear?"

_1…2…_ Keun's fingers twitched just barely –

The spiked wheel slammed into Seishin's back and then turned and, still spinning fast, cut him into three neat little pieces. He fell down, with barely enough time to widen his eyes before he died.

Keun stepped back to avoid the carnage, but then gestured at the wheel again. It dove down again and again turning Seishin's once beautiful body had been turned into slices of meat and pools of dark blood.

"Oh dear," Kurama murmured. There was a faint feeling of disgust in his stomach, though he had seen worse in his day. _Just…not in a very long time._ He cast his eyes away.

When the task was done, Keun turned and walked five meters to the right, then turned forward again and walked until she was at the door facing their destination.

Once there, the black spirals began to pull themselves from her face and body snaking themselves back onto the ring, which had followed faithfully behind her. Her eyes gradually cleared and her hearing came back as well.

Riko took a deep breath and then let it out again, an almost mournful sound. Then she shook her head and began to withdraw her power from the wheel. It slowly shrank and shrank until it became ring-sized again, the edges still tipped red.

Gingerly, Riko took the ring back into her hand and turned the spikes so that they settled back into the ring and then slipped it onto her pinky again. It shimmered slightly there, a silver banded ring with black spirals all over the center and deep red edges.

She never once looked back.

End of Chapter 14

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Hey guys, thanks for the reviews. I'd really appreciate some more constructive criticism, i.e. if something sounds funky or OOC or something like that...tell me ~ Thanks guys ^ - ^

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 15

"Are you alright? Riko?" Kurama put a hand out to steady Riko as she wobbled.

New cuts were appearing all over her, even though she had been left spotless by her fight. The force from behind the still closed door was ripping through her defenses, and her breath was coming hard. There was no glow left on her skin, no spirit energy sneaking in and speeding up her healing subconsciously. Even the ring had lost its red sides and had gone back to gold.

_And this,_ Riko thought absently as she fought to stay standing,_ is what I get for pulling out all the stops on a freaking guard._

Kurama waited for a moment and then glanced at Hiei. "Are you ready?"

Hiei was already playing with his sword. "Of course."

"You guys just have to break the battery, right?" Riko asked.

"That's right."

…_Okay battery breaking, even if it's a tree battery, doesn't usually get people hurt, and since these demons were supposed to be the guards, there shouldn't be that many extra guards in the actual battery room, which means there's little chance of these guys getting hurt, which means that I probably won't have to heal again. _Riko barely breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank god._

She pushed herself off Kurama and gestured at him to go forward. She had wanted to bow at first, to show him that she was alright, but she had a sickening feeling that if she did so she would wind up on her face.

Glancing behind her, she gestured at Hiei to go in front as well.

He raised an eyebrow. "I thought healers were never supposed to go last?"

"…Since when do you care? Besides, this is the last room. I doubt that a _tree_ is going to choose to fight me. There's no need for me to be last right now." A drop of blood slid down her cheek, and she absently wiped it from her face.

Wordlessly, Hiei stepped past her and next to Kurama. Kurama looked at Hiei again for a brief moment and then stretched out his hand, the two stepping forward in unison.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"What's this?' Yusuke asked.<p>

He rapped his knuckles against the clear air in front of him and flinched as a reaction crackle fizzed in the air, rippling into the brief shape of a red force field. The ripple quickly faded as Yusuke stepped back, leaving the space in front of him clear again.

"Whoa." He glanced down at his miniscule guides, who were still clutching tight to each other. "What was that?"

Kuwabara stepped forward and gingerly touched the air. "A barrier," He said, barely flinching at the feel of the sparks.

"A barrier," Meha said, immediately after him. She ducked her head shyly, and then said, more boldly, "We need you to break it." She looked at the barrier and seemingly, past it. "Yashi is inside."

Stepping back, Kuwabara examined the barrier, touching it again. It was about ten meters long and went all the way up to the ceiling. It extended about five meters out from a set of tall wooden doors with golden handles and red engravings.

Closing his eyes, he opened up his senses. The barrier was made out of demonic power – that much he could feel. It was very strong and there seemed to be no cracks in its defense._ I'll come back to that,_ He thought and moved on to what was in the room.

A tiny flicker of energy showed up in his sight, a ghost of demonic energy. He glanced down at Meha and Suzu, standing a bit in front of him. The energy in the room was the same shift of energy that showed up in them.

Yusuke meanwhile, had been tapping on the barrier again. Now he stepped back. "Alright, let's see how much juice in this thing." He held up his hand, energy gathering on the end of his index finger.

"Wait!" Kuwabara said, holding a hand out. "You can't just shoot it!"

"Do you have a better idea?"

Kuwabara hesitated and then knocked on the barrier again. "Just wait," He muttered, closing his eyes. The barrier fizzled and red sparks appeared before his spirit sense. The shield was giving out demonic sparks, but the shield itself was a perfectly smooth wall.

"Feel anything?' Yusuke asked, tone mocking.

Breaking off his concentration, Kuwabara turned and glared at his would-be partner. "Shut up, Urameshi! I was just getting something."

Snorting and muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "Yeah right," under his breath, Yusuke crossed his arms and closed his mouth.

Turning back to the shield, Kuwabara changed his search range. _Okay, if there aren't any weak spots then I'll look for a source._ He shifted and looked for a central power.

He started at the center of the shield and spread his power out from there. The barrier didn't resist – as long as he didn't get too close. Kuwabara followed the little red sparks into a tiny little thread that went through the walls and up several floors before resting in a –

"Oh crap."

"What?" Yusuke asked. "Can I blast it now?"

"No!" Kuwabara stepped back, the image of the juniper tree filled to the brim with dark, demonic red energy still clear in his mind. He realized that his breathing rate had been upped. He glared at Yusuke and then looked at the two girls, who were looking up at him. He bent down. "The source of this thing – it's the tree battery. You have to take us there."

They just stared at him. Very slowly, Meha shook her head. "No. You have to break the wall first."

"We can't," Kuwabara said, trying to keep his voice gentle. "The power for the wall comes from the tree. As long as the tree's still up, the wall's going to stay up." He hesitated and then said, "Take us to the tree and we'll bring it down, and then we'll come back for your sister."

The two girls stared at him and then stepped back.

As they talked to each other, Yusuke stepped up and asked in a low voice, "You sure about this?"

"Hey, I just traced a freaking string of this crap –" He mimed knocking on the wall, but didn't actually touch it. "- Back to its source. And its source is the tree. We gotta take that down before we're gonna have any luck with this."

Yusuke glanced at the girls. "And you think they gonna agree with that?" He asked, his voice still soft.

"– Can't trust them –"

It was Meha's voice, speaking to Suzu, who looked more conflicted.

"But we need to!" Suzu whispered. "Yashi's trapped!"

"They're lying! They're just going to take what they want and leave! That's what they all do." There was a bitter tone in Meha's voice that didn't belong in the register of just a young child. "We can't trust them."

Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged a glance. _It's like watching someone argue with himself,_ Yusuke thought. He looked at the girls again and then thought, _Well, if Kuwabara's right about them, then technically, she is arguing with herself._

"But we have to," Suzu pointed out. "We can't break the barrier ourselves."

Meha hesitated. She didn't have a response for that.

The silence stretched on.

Kuwabara decided to give it a little push. He said, gently, "You can trust us. We're going to help you. We're not going to betray you."

They both looked at him, Suzu with barely contained hope, Meha with bold distrust. They looked at each other, arguing with their eyes.

_A bit creepy,_ Yusuke thought to himself. He squatted to the girls' heights as well. Since Kuwabara had dropped his penny in, he might as well.

"You girls can relax," He said, keeping his voice as even and cool as possible. "We want the same thing you do. We're going to destroy the tree, and then the barrier will come down, and your sister will be free, and you guys will be free and life will be good." He paused to let the words sink in and then held out his hand. "Come on," He urged. "Take us to the tree?"

Suzu looked at Meha, her large eyes urgent. She got no response. Suzu hesitated for a brief moment longer and then slowly stretched out her hand. She paused halfway to look at Meha again. The other incarnation of her said nothing, did nothing.

Suzu took Yusuke's hand.

End of Chapter 15

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

Happy New Year everyone!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 16

As the door swung open, a hot wind blasted through it.

Kurama and Hiei both paused for a moment, briefly stunned by the amount of power contained in the wind. Black and red sparks blazed past them, but after a minute, both managed to start moving again, barely visible shields flaring around them.

Behind them, Riko flinched as the dark sparks lit upon her skin and burned their way through before disappearing. _God dammit. I should have become a fighter like Mommy wanted._ She flicked away a spark with one of her own.

She looked up as the doors closed behind her.

Through the crack between Kurama and Hiei's shoulders she could see a throne. _That's weird. Isn't this supposed to be the tree place?_

It sat on top of a large, flat black pedestal and was a meter across and two meters tall. The throne was gilded with gold and engravings had been scratched deep into the arms, legs and back, deep enough to reveal the layer of black underneath the gold.

The end of the arms had been carved into two tiger heads, mouths opened in mid-roars. There was something about the heads, about the real anger on their faces that made Riko wonder if they might have once been alive.

Standing behind the throne and a little to the right was a slender, medium-tall young man. He looked very delicate, with thin cheekbones, big eyes, a slim nose, and a long face. He had gray-green eyes surrounded by long, thick blond lashes and blond hair that gleamed almost white.

His hands were folded in front of him and he was dressed in a black business suit, cut around his form and a plain black tie. He was staring straight ahead, almost ignoring the new intruders.

…_Wow, he's prettier than Kurama,_ Riko thought absently and then frowned. _Wait, when did Kurama become my scale for beauty?_

She shook her head and, ignoring the sparks around her, stepped forward. She pushed herself on tiptoe up to Kurama's ear and whispered, "What's this? I thought this was the battery room?" She flinched as a spark came close to her eye.

"Yes, Kurama, what's going on?" Hiei asked, his voice very low and unpleasantly cold.

In a very neutral voice, Kurama replied, "I believe we have taken a wrong turn." He stepped forward. It was possible but extremely unlikely that this was another guard for the tree. Kurama's mind was racing with thoughts, most of them involving Yusuke and Kuwabara falling.

_That was why they separated us. Not only are we weaker apart, but without Kuwabara's senses, we only have basic directions and instincts to guide us. All they had to do was shift things around a bit, and instead of closing in on the tree, we're headed for the great lord of demons himself._

"Kurama?" Riko asked softly.

"Yoko Kurama."

The voice came from the person sitting in the throne, a person that Riko could make out only by stepping tiptoe to peer over Kurama's shoulders.

He was of medium height, ruggedly built, muscular, without a bit of elegance in his shape or movements, though his voice and speech were eloquent. His hair was dark, almost black, but not quite there, like coffee that had been mildly under brewed. His eyes were darker than his hair, a true black that made the iris impossible to distinguish from the pupil.

Over a white under robe, he had on a flowing, long-sleeved, purple over robe with red embroideries all along the sleeves and hem. It was a lovely piece of clothing, obviously handmade, but there was something a bit odd about it being on such a harsh-faced man.

As Riko peered, the man stood up, making her life just a bit easier.

"Hiei," The man continued. "Welcome to the true reason for creating the Twisted Prison." He waved his hand a bit pompously. "Me."

…_Rude. He didn't welcome me,_ Riko thought, slightly disgruntled. And then, immediately after that,_ who is this guy anyways? Where's the tree?_ She peered around, still clueless to what had happened.

The man looked down at Hiei and Kurama for a moment and then remarked coolly, "Since you are both respectable criminal demons, I will give you a chance to forsake the hopeless mission you are on and join me when I invade the Human and Spirit Realms."

_Invade the – okay, I think I know who this guy is now…_ Riko thought. She gazed up at the demon who had been dubbed the most dangerous criminal in all the realms.

"Lord Raja," Kurama said. He inclined his head – it was only right that he should acknowledge someone who had once ruled almost all of the Demon Realm.

Hiei nodded as well, but said nothing. He could feel the enormous power of the demon without even trying – it literally poured off him in dark sparks. A shiver was running over his skin, a feeling that he rarely got seeing as he was immune to the cold.

_Is this fear?_ He wondered. It was impossible. He didn't feel fear – but –

A tiny trickle of sweat rolled down the back of Hiei's neck.

_Damn it._

"Are you sweating?" Riko asked, her voice barely audible.

"I will cut you," Hiei muttered back.

Ignoring both of them with practiced ease, Kurama continued his words, "If we might beg a moment of your time, Lord Raja, we'd appreciate some thought about your offer."

Magnanimously, Raja nodded and waved his hand. "You may have ten minutes." He paused and then added, "I trust that that will be enough time for you to think up a strategy to challenge me, Mr. Kurama." Kurama froze. Raja smiled very coldly. "Don't disappoint me."

With a slightly strained return smile, Kurama turned and walked as far to the corner as possible. By the time Riko had turned, Hiei had already gotten there.

"Do you have anything, Kurama?" Hiei asked, his arms folded. He had calmed himself sufficiently to burn any droplets of sweat on his skin, but there was still something slightly different about the way that he held himself.

Kurama let out a deep breath. "No."

This statement led to several moments of silence.

"Oh, we are screwed," Riko said when those moments had passed.

Both demons gave her slightly irritated looks, Hiei's much more so than Kurama's.

"Just saying," Riko said, shrugging.

"Aren't you afraid?" Kurama asked, briefly distracted.

"…No."

"She's irrational," Hiei muttered.

Riko looked at him. "I'm rational. Fear is an instinct for survival. I already know that I'm in great danger, so there's no point in the fear. It can't help me in this situation, and in situations like this, I'm more likely to be overwhelmed and go into a panic attack, so I'm not scared." She paused. "Technically, that's not true. I'd rather not be scared, but unfortunately, my body doesn't always listen to me. I'm freaking terrified."

Both demons started to respond and then stopped, freezing. Hiei's hand was on his sword, Kurama's hidden suspiciously in his hair, and they were both staring behind Riko.

Turning, Riko's eyes widened and she stepped back automatically at the sight of the blond demon by Raja's side walking towards her. Hiei lifted his foot just in time to avoid it being stepped on.

"What's going on?" Kurama asked, stepping forward. "I thought we had ten minutes."

The blond demon bowed briefly to Kurama. "You do, sir. You and Mr. Hiei have time to contemplate your decision." He reached them and took Riko's arm.

_Oh shit,_ Riko thought as he began to pull her. _I should have buffed up._

"Wait, she's with us. Where are you taking her?" Kurama asked, though he had a dreadful feeling that he already knew the answer.

"His Greatness, Lord Raja is only interested in demons for his army, Mr. Kurama. While this creature is quite lovely, she has not an ounce of demon blood, and as far as we have seen, she has very limited power as a human." The blond demon bowed again.

"What are you going to do with me?" Riko asked.

The blond demon glanced at her. "You're going to become dinner."

…_Oh shit._

__End of Chapter 16

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Hey guys, switching my schedule since break is now over. Update schedule is now: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. (Except for this week. This week, it's Monday, Thursday, Sunday.)

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 17

"So this is it?" Yusuke asked, walking in front of the magnificent set of double doors – much like the ones that had been at the entrance of the Labyrinthine. He looked around. "What, there aren't any guards or anything?"

"They're dead," Meha said bluntly. "We killed them."

Yusuke glanced down at his little guide and her sister. She looked so innocent _…Scary. _After a moment, he asked, "So how do we get in?" He looked a bit mockingly at Kuwabara. "Got any ideas, Mr. Spiritualist?"

Kuwabara was looking at the door as well, one of his hands still around Suzu's. He let go to walk forward a few steps and peer at the door and then grinned. "It's another force field." Yusuke groaned. " – BUT, this one, I think we can just blast through. They didn't put as much into this one."

"ALRIGHT." Yusuke cracked his knuckles. "FINALLY. Some freaking action!"

Stepping back, Kuwabara gestured at Suzu and Meha to follow him. Meha did so, gently leading Suzu behind her. "I'll let you do the honors, Urameshi. Give it one good shot. Right in the middle. That oughta do it."

"Yeah, yeah." Yusuke stepped back to get a better angle and then concentrated. Blue fire started to flicker in a concentrated mass at the tip of his index finger. He leveled his hand at the center of the shield – or at least what looked like the center to him – and shot.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Juniper and Raja froze in their respective spots, Raja in the midst of picking lint from his robe and Juniper in the middle of dragging Riko away to be butchered. There was a strange pulsing in the room for a moment that made Hiei and Kurama look around, worried.<p>

"The battery," Juniper whispered.

"Go," Raja ordered without even looking at Juniper. "Leave the girl. We'll take care of her later."

Without a moment's hesitation, Juniper left the room, the door swinging closed long after his steps faded from the hearing range.

Taking a deep breath, Riko sat down hard.

"Are you alright?" Kurama asked.

"Oh yeah," Riko said, her voice squeaking on the second part. She cleared her throat. "I'm totally fine," She said, her voice still a bit strangled sounding so Kurama couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic. "Go think of a plan."

"Yes, Kurama. We have no time to waste on a girl."

"Thanks, Hiei. I love you too," Riko squeaked.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"And bam! That's how we do it." Yusuke blew mockingly on his finger and glanced at Kuwabara and the identical girls who were standing behind him. "It's done. Let's go."<p>

"Is this really going to help us?" Suzu asked Meha quietly. She meant for it to only be audible for the girl next to her, but Kuwabara heard.

He started to answer for Meha, but then stopped as Meha said, "Yes. This is – they'll help us."

The words made Kuwabara grin a bit and then held into the room after Yusuke.

What he saw inside banished all thought from his mind.

"…That is a big tree…" Yusuke breathed.

Standing before them was an enormous tree. It was so tall that it extended out of sight range and so wide that the trunk along could have held over twenty Yusuke's. Long, thick, craggy branches extended off the main trunk, creating thousands of little shadows. The tree was covered in greenery, small scaly leaves that overlapped each other.

And throughout every small leaf and especially concentrated in the innermost rings of the trunk, there came a steady pulse of power. It had been in the pause moment when they'd walked in and now, it beat, a wave of power that almost moved Yusuke's gelled hair from its position.

_Oh wow,_ Yusuke thought, bracing himself as Kuwabara did the same.

Meha and Suzu clung more tightly to each other, the flickers in their eyes clearly displaying their fear.

When the pulse ended and the thing paused again, Yusuke shook his head and then glanced at Kuwabara. "So, how do you wanna do this? Just blast it? I can't believe there aren't any guards here, what the heck."

Kuwabara looked at the tree. To his spiritual senses, he could feel a stronger imprint of the power that was naturally visible. It was very concentrated in the trunk, but it existed in every particle of the tree, and he had a sneaking suspicion that unless the entire tree was destroyed, the entire battery would be able to regroup itself and begin again.

"I don't think we can just blast it," Kuwabara said after a moment. "There's some sort of…tying thing under the whole spell. Unless we could get rid of the entire thing in one stroke, I think that it'd just grow back on us."

His words made Yusuke frown and then turn. He walked towards the tree. "Alright, let's test that."

"What're you gonna do?" Kuwabara called as Yusuke approached the tree.

"Just testing what you said," Yusuke called back.

The tree pulsed again, and Yusuke paused, the power feeling that much stronger because he was so close to the tree. He waited for the pulse to end and then walked faster, reaching the tree before the next pulse.

For a very brief moment, Yusuke looked at the tree and, watching the leaves move in invisible wind and then he hopped up onto the tree trunk. It was so large and twisted that it was easy for him to find perches. From there he hopped up higher until he reached a tree branch about fifty meters up.

Taking the branch, he snapped off a twig at the end. Red power flared in his hand and vanished, running into the end of the twig that was still attached to the tree. A replacement twig, exactly like the first, sprouted out.

Yusuke took a deep breath. "Oh boy. This is not going to be easy."

"YUSUKE!" It was Kuwabara, his voice loud and just a bit panicked. "LOOK OUT!"

Surprised, Yusuke spun, almost losing his balance on the tree branch. He just had time to see patch of twisting air come hurling at him before the tree pulsed again.

It was something that Yusuke had been expecting, and he had been about to brace himself for it – but he hadn't counted on being attacked while still on the tree. The unbalance and the immediately blood rush as he registered the assault made him forget about the pulse, so that when it came, Yusuke lost what little balance he had and fell from the tree.

* * *

><p>Kuwabara saw Yusuke fall – almost like it was in slow motion. There was no way that he could have gotten there in time – even Hiei would have had trouble with a sprint like that.<p>

So, instead of running dramatically to his occasional friend and partner and failing to catch him, Kuwabara stuck out his hand. Glowing orange spirit energy appeared there and then flattened. He focused on it and it shot across the room, faster than any human could move, sliding under Yusuke just before he hit the ground.

Grunting, Kuwabara jerked up, flinging Yusuke back into the air, although this time, only about a meter, instead of fifty meters.

Yusuke fell on his face.

"OWWWWWWWW!" Almost immediately, Yusuke was on his feet again, covering his nose and howling like an enraged demon. "WHAT THE HELL, KUWABARA? YOU COULDN'T JUST DROP ME ON MY FEET? Fuck, that hurts." Yusuke looked at his hand – no blood – and he couldn't feel anything cracking, so not broken. _Probably anyways. Fuck, man, that hurt._

"DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME, URAMESHI! NEXT TIME, I'LL JUST LET YOU EAT SOME DIRT." Kuwabara opened his mouth to continue and then something twanged in the back of his mind. He grabbed Suzu and Meha and, with them in toll, jumped to the side, barely avoiding another twisted ball of nothing. He looked up into the air and spotted his attacker – formerly Yusuke's attacker.

It was a demon hanging in mid-air with very pale blonde hair and a suspicious lack of aura. Kuwabara frowned and then squinted. There were red sparks around him as well as a warping of the air.

* * *

><p>Juniper's face twisted slightly as he saw Suzu and Meha. So this was where they'd gone to. His Greatness would not be pleased when he heard. <em>I must clean up this mess quickly,<em> He thought. _Before His Greatness finishes his fight or he may be distracted._

"Who the hell are you?" The cry came from the young man in green – _Yusuke Urameshi_, Juniper identified.

Technically, he had no time for introductions, but it would be rude to kill without giving one.

Alighting softly on the ground, Juniper bowed and said, "I am Juniper, servant to His Greatness, Lord Raja." He lifted his head and the air began to warp around him until there were six evenly shaped, invisible masses next to him.

"And you," He said, lifting his hand. The balls moved with him. "Are dead."

Juniper sliced down, and the energy around him followed his motion.

End of Chapter 17

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Super busy for the next month. Schedule on hold until further notice. I'll try to update once a week. Also, definitely not one of my best chapters. .

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 18

"Do you know what he can do?" Riko asked. She was still sitting on the floor, listening to Kurama and Hiei try to brainstorm – Kurama was doing most of the work.

Kurama paused for a moment to answer her question, "He's a psychic. He has great control over the minds of other people."

Riko raised an eyebrow. "Like Hiei?"

"Yes, very like him," Kurama said, nodding towards Hiei. "Except, I believe that Raja's powers would be much stronger – no offense Hiei."

Hiei grunted, but didn't try to object to the statement.

"So…" Riko thought about the implications of psychics for a minute. "Is he going to blow your heads up or something?"

Shaking his head, Kurama said, "Confusion and control are much more likely. I've heard that subtly is one of the things that make Raja so dangerous. He has converted many demons who were against him into some of his strongest allies – Juniper for example."

Again, Riko raised an eyebrow. "Juniper?" She paused. "Sorry, I know this isn't the time for stories, but – Juniper?"

"He came against Raja to take revenge and," Kurama shook his head. "Raja is a very convincing person." He looked at Hiei. "We'll have to be careful, Hiei, or we may be drawn in as well."

Snorting, Hiei said, "Don't underestimate me, Kurama. I'm not so weak as to be drawn in by sweet talk from an extinct, last generation demon."

His words made Kurama smile just a bit – it was so much like Hiei to say that. The smile faded as he considered his next words. "Yes, that's probably true. Your Jagan eye will also help out here – it does give you a fair amount of protection from mental attacks, correct?"

Hiei nodded.

"I, on the other hand, have no such powers in these areas." Kurama frowned, thinking. "I'm afraid that resistance might be a bit hard for me."

"Why not just let Hiei fight him?" Riko suggested, her last words cutting off slightly as she flicked away a spark and flinched as it burned her.

Kurama looked at her, eyebrows raised at the question. Hiei looked at Kurama and, continuing Riko's line of thought, said, "Yes, Kurama." Kurama looked at him. "Much as I hate to admit it, I agree with the human. I might not have heard much of his powers, but if he can control minds, I can definitely counter that ability."

The hesitation in Kurama's face drew longer. "It's –"

"And he gets his power from the tree right?" Riko pointed out. She glanced in the direction that Juniper had been before he'd left. "Juniper left to sort out the tree so…" She shrugged. "Maybe Kuwabara and Yusuke are there already."

"Yes, that's most likely," Kurama acknowledge, his face still slightly twisted in uncertainty.

Hiei picked up the flow now. "And with the detective breaking down his power source," He said, neglecting to mention Kuwabara's existence, "He," He jerked his head over at Raja, who had returned to casual lounging. "Will become less powerful." He fingered his sword, confidence growing in him. "You can just watch, Kurama. I'll take care of this."

Slowly, Kurama said, "There – is –" He paused and stared into space for a moment, considering his idea, before looking at Hiei again, his expression very serious. "There is another potential problem."

"Does he have another power?" Riko asked.

Without looking at her, Kurama said, "No – not that. Raja can fight hand to hand, but physically, I believe that he is no match for us. However," He looked at Hiei. "There is something else."

"What?"

A clattering of bells rang through the air.

Raja stood up from his throne. "And that's it," He said, smiling. "Do you have a plan to entertain me?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>It was by almost sheer luck that Yusuke got out of the way when he did, being unable to feel or even see the nothingness that Juniper threw his way. Not all of it was sheer luck – a bit of it was stupid luck – Juniper had as good as announced that he would be attacking before he'd done so.<p>

At his words, Yusuke had already been running out of the way. The nothingness went in his direction, but somehow, the only injury Yusuke sustained was a faint burn on his left arm where the nothingness' dark aura just barely brushed him.

Yelping, Yusuke winced and looked at the arm. Where there had been healthy skin before, there was now a slightly burned mark – but burned black, not red. He winced and flexed the arm. It moved normally enough and the pain faded rather quickly, though not entirely.

Turning he glared at Juniper. "Yo, Kuwabara!" Yusuke roared. "What the hell is this guy doing?"

"Some energy thing! I'm not sure! Just don't get hit!"

"GEE THANKS! THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL!" Yusuke ran out of the way, charging this time for the tree, keeping his head low and a slight aura high around him. _If I get close enough, he won't be able to attack me cause he might hit the tree,_ Yusuke reasoned as he ran.

The firing did see to slow as Yusuke got near the tree, and he spun around about five meters in front of it.

Juniper was coming directly at him, dark, warped sections of air hanging all around him.

Grinning, Yusuke held up his hand, power starting to grow on his index finger. "Can't attack any more, can you? Otherwise, you'll hurt your precious battery –"

A stream of nothing shot directly at Yusuke's head.

Pure instinct drove Yusuke to dive in the right direction. He landed, rolled, wincing at the impact, and got to his feet. "WHAT THE HELL?"

The stream had hit the tree directly – but it hadn't done any damage, even though Yusuke had been able to feel the burn even after his dodge. Juniper brought the stream around, face very cold and calm, and started towards Yusuke again.

Gritting his teeth, Yusuke hopped higher onto the tree. It pulsed and he froze for a moment.

Taking advantage of the moment, Juniper shot up at him, scoring a long shot right across Yusuke's right arm, taking all the hairs and half the skin, leaving burnt muscle and fat.

Yusuke screamed.

* * *

><p>Something tight grabbed Kuwabara's leg just as he was about to sprint forward. He looked down, the spirit sword that had been fizzling into life in his hand dying down.<p>

It was Suzu.

She had grabbed on tight with one hand and was holding Meha's hand with the other.

They looked so much alike that Kuwabara wondered when he'd started being able to distinguish them from each other – though maybe it was the slightly scared, very timid look in Suzu's eyes that was lacking in Meha's. Meha was the one who stepped forward and spoke up.

Still, it was Suzu, not Meha who had grabbed him.

Distracted by Yusuke, Kuwabara leaned down and said, "Hey, I know you're scared, but I need to go kill that thing before I can help you." He tried to undo Suzu's grip on his leg. "You'll be okay if you stay here. Come on, let go!"

Suzu almost did as Kuwabara demanded, but Yusuke's yell at a near-miss made her grab on tighter. She muttered something.

"What?" Kuwabara leaned down. He glanced at Yusuke who had fallen from the tree and was lying on the ground now, still screaming in pain. Juniper was walking towards him very calmly. "What is it? What are you trying to do?" A stab of suspicion went through him. What if these two were meant only to distract him and Yusuke?

For a moment Suzu's lips worked, but no sound came out. Meha clenched her sister's hand harder and Suzu flinched. She looked up – until she was almost looking into Kuwabara's eyes and whispered, "It won't work."

"What won't work?"

Meha took over now that Suzu had managed to start the conversation. "Yusuke's plan. Juniper is one of the demons who is so connected into this place that he's basically a part of the tree now. His power can't hurt the tree."

"Alright, alright!" Kuwabara snapped, impatient. He tugged his leg again. "Now lemme go fight!"

"You can't!" Meha snapped. She glared at Kuwabara. "It's impossible to attack Juniper directly. He's too strong."

Kuwabara glanced at Juniper. He was right on top of Yusuke now and was gathering power for a final attack as Yusuke lay on the ground, yelling his lungs off and rolling around in pure agony. He looked down at the girl clinging to his leg.

_I don't have time for this crap!_

Shaking them off, Kuwabara charged at Juniper, roaring, his spirit sword appearing his hand. As he approached, the tree pulsed, and Kuwabara flinched. He paused briefly but quickly began his charge again.

"OI! I'M YOUR OPPONENT NOW! FACE ME!" He yelled as he approached Juniper and swung hard.

His sword went straight and true, going right down Juniper's body –

And then bounced back.

End of Chapter 18

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	19. Chapter 19

Chiryo

Chapter 19

Kuwabara's eyes widened in shock and he just had time to think,_ Oh fuck,_ before the force from the rebounding sword threw him flying backwards.

He landed in a heap, generally unharmed, but stunned.

Meha and Suzu ran up to him. The first thing out of Meha's mouth was, "I told you so."

Kuwabara glared at the girl. "Alright, fine, what the hell do you want to do?"

After the briefest of glances at Juniper, who looked like he was deciding which human he wanted to take down first, Meha slipped behind Kuwabara, pulling Juniper with her. "You can't hurt him," She repeated, her voice soft. "But you can hurt the tree."

Looking at the tree, Kuwabara's mouth dropped. "Are you kidding? That thing is way to big to –"

"You don't have to attack it!" Meha interrupted hurriedly. She glanced at Juniper again. "You –" She glanced at Suzu and then took a deep breath before looking at Kuwabara with serious eyes. "You can use our blood."

For a moment, Kuwabara blinked in shock as Botan's words echoed in his mind. _"And Suzume, herself, is called the 'Poison Child'. Even a__drop __of her blood used the right way will kill the strongest human or demon."_

_Even a drop…_

Suzu looked at Kuwabara's face a bit anxiously as Meha stared at him, trying to hide her own anxiety. She hesitated for a moment, but then added in her shy, quiet voice, "When we were taken here, we were enchanted – we're not allowed to hurt ourselves."

"But you can do it," Meha said, taking up the story again. "You can hurt us. Use our blood." She looked at Juniper a bit fearfully. "Get your friend to distract Juniper. Then poison the tree."

Every thought in Kuwabara's head started to run in circles – first and foremost – "You want me to cut you?"

Before Meha could reply, an instinct in the back of Kuwabara's mind made him drop straight down as a bolt of nothingness shot over his head. Apparently, Juniper had decided that Yusuke wasn't much of a threat anymore and was going after Kuwabara instead.

"Surrender peacefully, human," Juniper said, voice very light. "Or you will end up like that trash over there." He nodded his head back at Yusuke. "Just back away, give me the girls, and I will allow you to run back to your world unharmed." With each word, he stepped closer.

Simultaneously, with each word, Kuwabara was hurrying back, dragging the two girls with him and trying to think.

His only option seemed to be what Meha had suggested – but Yusuke was still down, although the screaming seemed to have died to a more calm level – although that could have been just him getting used to it – and Juniper's attention was focused on him. He could try attacking him again, but Kuwabara was pretty sure that unless something changed, there would be no change in what happened.

_Crap, crap, crap –_

"URAMESHI, GET OFF YOUR FUCKING ASS!"

* * *

><p>Yusuke was lying on the ground, screaming. The pain was seeping straight into his bones, setting off all the sensors in the skin of his arm. Juniper's nothingness had scored a blow across Yusuke's arm that would have been classified as a terrible third degree burn under any normal circumstances, would have been extraordinarily painful and would have taken at least two months to properly heal.<p>

Under demon energy circumstances, all the following was true and accompanied by a higher degree of pain than Yusuke though existed and a very slow spreading of the burn. It was extremely gradual, but with every motion that Yusuke made, he could feel a tiny itching over his skin and the area of pain spreading.

It took his attention off everything else – nothing else mattered but the pain, and he couldn't even begin to comprehend anything else –

Something hit him in the side.

And the pain seemed to fizzle out.

Slowly, Yusuke's senses began to clear. In the corner of his mind he registered a voice – Juniper's – saying, "What are you trying to do, bring a merciful death to your partner? Too bad you were too weak to actually kill him."

"URAMESHI!"

A swirl of orange fire seemed to be dancing around Yusuke, slowly siphoning into Yusuke's body – he could feel the pain drifting in the back of his mind, but it was dulled.

…_Did he just hit me with his spirit energy?_ Yusuke wondered as he slowly got to his feet.

* * *

><p><em>Huh. Looks like it worked,<em> Kuwabara thought, grinning. He was still running from Juniper, his run gradually becoming very circle-like. The last time Yusuke had been on the verge of death, Kuwabara had managed to bring him back by stuffing some of his spirit energy into him. This wasn't quite the same, but it looked like infusion with some spirit energy could help heal wounds.

He glanced back at Yusuke, whose arm was still smoking. _Or maybe just stop pain,_ He amended. "OI! URAMESHI! YOU GOOD?"

"BACK AND READY TO GO," Yusuke roared back. "BUT LEMME JUST SAY ONE THING."

"WHAT?"

"NEVER SHOOT ME WITH YOUR ENERGY AGAIN!"

"LIKE I WANTED TO. HURRY UP AND DO SOMETHING!"

"WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"

_Shit, how do I do this?_ Kuwabara wondered. He dodged to the side, ignoring Juniper's comment. Meha banged against Suzu, and there was a chorus of winces from them both. He couldn't just yell out his – or rather Meha's – plan or Juniper would know, but then he had to tell Yusuke somehow –

_URAMESHI. YOU GOTTA DISTRACT HIM. AND THEN CAUSE WE CAN'T HURT HIM, I'M GONNA POISON THE TREE WITH SUZU AND MEHA'S BLOOD._

"Ow," Yusuke muttered rubbing his ear. "No need to be so loud." He lifted his hand, taking aim at Juniper's back. "Hey, bad boy, I'm your opponent!" He steadied his hand – and then shot.

A swarm of clear demon fire warped around and swallowed his shot, eliminating it from existence with just a bit of difficulty. Another swarm right after the first almost decapitated Yusuke.

_And don't get hit!_ Kuwabara thought-yelled.

"OH GEE. THANKS FOR THE ADVICE."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Very, very quickly, Riko scooted herself backwards until she hit the nearest wall as Hiei and Kurama turned, just a bit tentatively to face Raja. Kurama looked stressed now, Hiei confident, but also tense from Kurama's words that 'there's something else'.<p>

"Well?" Raja spread his arms out, his robe flowing to the sides like silky waterfalls. He gave both of them an overconfident, purposefully taunting smile. "Come at me."

Hiei glanced at Kurama for just a moment and then leapt at Raja, his third eye glowing, his sword coming unsheathed so fast that it made a shrill ringing noise.

Wincing, Riko pushed back further, but went no where, given that the wall was in her way. She absently hit it and winced at the impact before trying to turn her attention back to the fight – the sparks hitting her face were a little more than a little annoying, and she was sure that she was starting to sizzle.

_They're not even going to have to cook me when this is done,_ Riko thought, pain and worry making her pessimistic. _I'm already going to be well-done._ She shook her head and breathed. Like she'd told Hiei – there was no point in overreacting. What happened would happen.

She looked at Hiei who was now directly in front of Raja. He stabbed forward –

"Stop," Raja said, putting one long-fingered hand out in front of his face.

The layers underneath the simple word resonated over and over again until Riko could feel the noise whispering in her bones. She stopped breathing for several long moments, but since the word was not directed at her, the effect gradually faded, leaving Riko gasping and out of breath.

* * *

><p>The power of the word had an interesting effect on Hiei. He heard the undertones rippling under the word, but his Jagan eye started to glow even more powerfully as Raja spoke, and a different voice began to speak in Hiei's mind – his own, counteracting the mesmerizing voice of Raja.<p>

With a grim smile, Hiei continued his thrust.

His sword went through Raja's hand and all the way to the throne behind it, just missing Raja's face.

The smile on Hiei's face grew wider. "Too bad, old timer. I guess your tricks aren't effective as they used to be." Hiei pushed off the arm of the throne and pulled his sword from Raja's hand, taking a moment to recover before coming in for another slash –

A green, thorn-covered vine lashed around his sword arm, stopping him short and sending rivets of pain into the pain sensors attached to the flesh being impaled by spines. It was a disturbingly familiar vine, one that he had seen before but that one that was usually used on his enemies not –

Hiei turned.

Standing behind him, his hand out, the vine extending back into it, was Kurama. He was looking straight forward, his red hair a flame in the most dim-lit room. His eyes, usually so bright and green, had been dulled to a faded hazel.

He tugged the vine, causing Hiei to fall back a bit, pulling him away from Raja.

The great captive demon lord got to his feet now and stretched for a moment as Hiei stared at Kurama, mind racing. He knew now what Kurama had meant by 'there is something else'.

Raja leaned down and asked Hiei very coldly, "Who's tricks aren't as effective?"

End of Chapter 19

* * *

><p>Please review! (hopefully longer than two sentences? :D)<p> 


	20. Chapter 20

__Chiryo

Chapter 20

_Oh dear,_ Riko thought, surveying the situation in front of her – Hiei being pulled back by Kurama, who seemed to have fallen completely victim to Raja's powers and was now using his rose whip against his comrade. _Now _this_ could be a problem…_

In a very low voice, Hiei said, "Kurama, don't be a fool. Even if you are under being influenced, your intellect wouldn't possibly –"

"There's no point," Raja interrupted before Hiei could finish. "For all intensive purposes, he's dead to you." He smiled and stepped to the side, flexing the hand that had been speared. The wound was quickly closing now, and not a single drop of blood had been spilt. "And now we get to watch you two tear each other apart." His eyes roamed until he found Riko, leaning against the wall, and his smile grew. "And afterwards, we even get a tasty snack."

…_I feel like I should say something like, "I'm not a snack!" right now,_ Riko thought, closing her eyes. _But somehow, I don't have enough energy._ Much as she knew the situation was serious and that she should try to concentrate on the battle, two things were stopping her.

One, the fact that she was – once she'd used Keun state – basically useless in battle.

And two, everything in front of her was becoming just a bit fuzzy – black and red sparks seemed to be pulling her eyelids slowly shut.

* * *

><p>Kurama, arm shaking slightly, lifted the whip and then brought it down, throwing Hiei to the floor. In the very, <em>very<em> back of his mind, he could hear Hiei talking – could hear Raja's very, very faint, actual voice – but most of his brain had been filled by Raja's mental voice.

_Though I'm not sure if this can be classified as a voice,_ Kurama thought pedantically.

Technically, Raja wasn't really saying anything inside his head. It was more of a pressure against Kurama's instincts and will – a pressure to give all that up and do as Raja wanted to – a pressure that was currently winning out.

Still, it hadn't won out entirely. Kurama could vaguely feel his arm twitching as it pulled Hiei back from Raja, which meant that as powerful as Raja was, he either wasn't powerful enough to gain complete control or he was very rusty.

_Unfortunately, I suspect the latter,_ Kurama thought. If the latter was true, it would mean that the longer Raja had to implant himself in Kurama's mind, the easier it would be for Raja to control him. If it was the former – _there's little possibility that he would have become one of the most feared demon lords if that were the case - _which meant that his best chance of breaking free would be right now, when he wasn't completely acclimated yet.

Very stealthily, Kurama diverted a bit of his demon energy into a seed contained in a small bag in one of his pockets. If he could just send enough to speed up its growth, it might be used as a weapon against Raja if he got close enough…

* * *

><p>Several options presented themselves to Hiei. He could attack Kurama and incapacitate him – something that would be extremely difficult and probably cause bodily harm to the both of them. He could attack Raja directly – something that would probably not be very effective, because it would leave him open to attack from Kurama and because Raja seemed unaffected by injury.<p>

It was not very promising.

There were actually two other options – he could attempt to stall until Yusuke and Kuwabara destroyed Juniper and the tree – but that would take lots of time and energy and would require Hiei to rely on another living thing . Or he could ask Riko to turn into Keun and distract Kurama as Hiei worked on Raja, something that would be made easier by the fact that Kurama seemed a little off-balance, but would still require Hiei to rely on another living thing and was improbable given that Riko had been barely able to move upon entering the room.

Which all together meant that, of course, Hiei would take on both Raja and Kurama by himself.

Hiei lifted his sword, pulling his arm back as he did so, pulling the vine taut and cut through it. It snapped and then started to regrow. Hiei ripped the part of the vine stuck to his skin from his flesh and tossed it to the floor next to Kurama, then jumped back several meters, so that both demons were in his line of sight.

Turning, Kurama slashed his whip at him. Hiei dodged easily out of the way – Kurama had little force behind the blow – and then shot again at Raja.

Once again, as he approached, he felt the pressure building up against his mind, but Hiei didn't pay any attention to it, aiming for the left side of Raja's chest.

This time, instead of letting Hiei hit him, Raja ducked to the side and knocked the sword aside, kicking up with one leg as he did so. The blow just missed Hiei's chin as Hiei tried to kick off Raja's chest as a lever to avoid the blow. Raja put up an arm to block and Hiei pushed off that propelling himself away.

Before he had time to renew the assault, Kurama was running at him. Hiei scowled – Kurama at this point was not a threat, but a nuisance.

_Maybe I can pawn him off on the girl –_ Hiei glanced over at Riko as he slipped out of the way of Kurama's blow and irritation began to flood through him as he saw that Riko was now fully unconscious, head falling to the left. _Useless._

Kurama charged him again, and again, Hiei jumped out of the way. He noted as Kurama went past – _He's getting faster._ Hiei's scowl grew more pronounced. Raja's control was getting firmer.

He dodged another blow, keeping a sense out for Raja behind him – and then Kurama turned mid-step and slashed again. Hiei ducked back, but the blow had come too fast. The tip of a thorn scored a long cut across Hiei's left cheek, just under the eye.

Blood flicked in front of Hiei's vision.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"I'm impressed by your ability to transfer spirit energy to another human. However, it's a waste of your time," Juniper informed Kuwabara. "With it, you might have had a chance to give me a good fight. Without it, both of you will die without much struggle."<p>

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Yusuke muttered. He leapt up behind Juniper and aimed a punch square at the back of Juniper's head, his hand coated with spirit energy to protect himself from the nothingness swirling around Juniper in uneven blotches. "Let's see how you like this!"

As Juniper turned his attention back to Yusuke, Kuwabara looked at Meha and Suzu, who had taken to clinging to his legs again. Meha looked up at him and slowly let go. She held out her hand again to Suzu, who took it and then took Kuwabara's hand.

Fast, without attracting attention, Kuwabara took a wide berth around Juniper, heading for the base of the tree. The pulses were coming faster now – as if, like living creatures, because the demons were actually using its power, it had to pulse faster to deliver more energy – several times, they were strong enough to stop Kuwabara's movement.

Finally though, the three of the reached the roots – the swarm of demon energy enveloping them. Suzu and Meha seemed to almost enjoy the glow, but Kuwabara was beginning to feel sick from the proximity to such strong power.

Kuwabara looked down at Suzu and Meha, expectant. Meha stepped away and pulled up one of her sleeves, revealing a chubby toddler arm.

Instantly, Kuwabara felt guilty. He'd just remembered that Meha and Suzu were – when it all came down to it – only children. "You know, we could probably find a better way to do this – I mean, I'm pretty tough – Urameshi's kinda tough – we probably –"

"Just take the blood, stupid!" Meha snapped.

"Okay, okay," Kuwabara said as he bent down. Under his breath he muttered, "If this turns out to be Suzume's main personality, I see a younger version of my sister coming up." He looked around wondering what he could use –

"Your sword, moron!" Meha snapped again, her irritation growing.

_Definitely like Suzuru._ Kuwabara materialized the sword in his hand –

"What do you think you're doing?"

Tentatively, Kuwabara looked up.

Juniper was standing just a meter away from them, one hand held up, his nothingness running amok all around his body, tearing the air into shreds.

"Yusuke, what the hell?"

"I'M SORRY! He's faster than he looks!" Yusuke roared.

"Back away from the girl, _now,_" Juniper spat. "Or I swear I will put you through a torture that will make you wish you were in Limbo."

"Don't," Meha whispered. Suzu was trembling, hiding behind her sister, her eyes wide and starting to glitter.

A ball of nothingness began to appear in the air next to Juniper. "I will tear your limbs off –"

Sweat rolled down Kuwabara's neck. He knew the pain that could come from Juniper's attacks – he'd seen Yusuke almost lose it from just a brush. And at this distance, he wouldn't even be able to put up an effective guard – the nothingness would just eat through it. He couldn't surrender, but if he went through with the plan -

"I don't wanna be captured again," Suzu whispered.

The words touched something inside Kuwabara. A grin started to spread across his face.

"What? What's so funny?" Juniper snapped. His voice was getting faster, higher-pitched.

Kuwabara looked up and met Juniper's eyes. "Hate to say this, Mr. Demon Lord or whoever you are, but heroes ain't afraid of pain."

He lifted his sword and slashed across Meha's wrist.

Blood began to roll down Meha's arm as Juniper's ball of nothingness headed straight towards Kuwabara.

The first drop fell to the tree's roots.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** End of the first saga. Lemme know what you guys want to see next: brief everyday life then next saga or straight into next saga?

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 21

The drop of blood fell on the roots.

Juniper's ball of nothingness came right up to Kuwabara's throat and the edge of it burned him, leaving a black scar going straight across the skin. It was accompanied by a great deal of pain followed by a closing of his eyes and Kuwabara's very eloquent _FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKKKKKKK._

Within a millisecond however, the ball vanished before coming any closer to Kuwabara and another scream – an audible one – began to drown out Kuwabara's mental curse.

In a perfect world, Kuwabara would have spent a few more moments cursing at the pain of the brush of nothingness. Unfortunately, the other scream was becoming louder by the second and the pain of its noise bothered him even more than the nothingness. He opened his eyes and watched the scene in front of him unfold.

Juniper's mouth was opened wide, his teeth surprisingly unsharp, his throat shaking as he screamed his lungs out. He had dropped to his knees and was clutching his heart as if someone had stabbed him there. A dark, sickening purple color was slowly spreading up his neck and past his sleeves along his arms.

Kuwabara watched, horrified, but unable to take his eyes away, as Juniper slowly fell forward and landed in front of him, face down, the scream slowly dying away – and he could feel other screams too, other suffering souls.

"This tree is the source of power for all the demons that are trapped here," Meha said. "They're all feeling the pain."

Unable to peel his eyes away as Juniper's fair skin became completely covered in the bruised purple color, Kuwabara asked, "Are they all going to die?"

"No," Meha said. She had withdrawn her arm and was holding Suzu's hand again. "Since it supplies them all with energy, the effect it spread. None of them will die." There was something in her voice that made Kuwabara think that she was actually a bit disappointed in that fact. She looked up at Kuwabara. "Let's go find Yashi."

Her one-track mind and her coldness brought Kuwabara out of his dream-like state. He looked back at Meha and Suzu. They were so identical, so exactly alike, with dark eyes – cold eyes – eyes that didn't care about lives other than their own.

_Of course not. She's a demon._ Kuwabara slowly got to his feet.

From the other side of Juniper, Yusuke, who was watching Juniper as well, muttered, "Holy shit crapper."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"…You know…he looked a lot more threatening when he wasn't purple…"<p>

Hiei ignored the comment and then a very slight, very cold smile flickered across his face. _It seems like the morons actually succeeded. Incredible._

"Whoa, Kurama."

Instantly, Hiei turned around.

Kurama, now released from Raja's control (Raja was lying on the floor, twitching and an interesting dark grape color), had stumbled forward, running into Riko, who had recovered from her stupor almost as soon as the demon magic had subsided from the air. She had approached quickly to look at Raja who'd been writhing in agony and, although still slightly dizzy, was mostly okay now, even if her spirit energy was low on supply.

"Kurama ~" Riko said, leaning against the demon as hard as she could to keep from falling over. "You sure don't look at it, but you're really heavy. I'm going fall over."

Almost right away, Hiei was next to Kurama, holding him up with both hands, his sword having been already sheathed. Riko stumbled away from the two of them, wincing slightly.

"That hurt," She muttered softly under her breath. She ignored the look of disdain Hiei gave her and then took a good look at Hiei and Kurama. Kurama was leaning all his weight on Hiei, and the fire-ice demon was looking at him in slight concern, although he didn't say anything. The side of Riko's mouth twitched. She turned her head away to hide a grin.

_I really hope that Hiei isn't listening to my thoughts right now,_ She prayed to herself. _'Cause if he is –_ Riko glanced at Hiei and Kurama. _Man, they would make a good couple…_ She snorted and then composed herself. "If he wakes up, we should probably leave here. Kuwabara and Yusuke are probably doing that already."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Both Kuwabara and Yusuke sneezed, almost in unison, but neither of the young girls walking in front of them so much as noticed.<p>

They stopped moving and looked back at the two.

Yusuke sniffed and rubbed his nose vigorously because looking at the door in front of them. It was the door to Yashi's imprisonment – they were finally coming back to fulfill their promise. He looked at the door, remembered how it'd resisted him last time and grinned.

_Not this time, buddy._ He lifted his hand and aimed carefully. He had just enough juice left for one more good shot. _This time, you're going down._ The pulse of light leapt from his finger, rushing through the air and smashing the door to pieces.

The girl sitting in the middle of the room on the other side of the door looked up, started, her brown eyes going wide as she saw who her visitors were.

"Suzu! Meha!" She cried smiling. In less than a heartbeat, she was on her feet, rushing towards her 'sisters'.

There was a moment when the three of them met near the entrance to the door when everything turned a bit fuzzy around them, a bit misted. Neither Yusuke nor Kuwabara were sure what was happening until the mist settled and in place of the three girls was one.

She looked very much like the three girls who had just been there – her features were identical, as were her stature and height. But instead of having translucent skin, hers was only moon pale – a very beautiful shiny color. Her eyes were so dark they were almost black instead of just deep brown – and her hair – her hair was beautiful, jet black and like silk.

Suzume Hayashi took a step forward, a bit hesitant now that she was one person again. She took another and then another until she felt confident walking again. Her steps had brought her in front of Kuwabara and Yusuke.

The little girl looked up at her saviors and gave a disarming smile. It was a bit shy, reminiscent of Suzu and a bit cheeky as well, kind of like Meha, but very grateful, like the look that had been in Yashi's eyes when they'd first walked in.

"Thank you!" She said – and for once her voice wasn't a chorus, but one single sound. "Thank you so much!"

Both Yusuke and Kuwabara grinned. Kuwabara rubbed his nose, a bit embarrassed. "Aw, shucks, it was nothing."

"Yeah, we're here to help," Yusuke said, mockingly giving a salute.

They stayed like that a moment, in a sweet little triangle and then Yusuke decided –

"NOW LET'S GO FIND RIKO. MY ARM IS KILLING ME."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Riko's ears twitched. She stopped and looked up and around.<p>

After several meters, Hiei noticed. He turned, Kurama still on his shoulder. The fox demon was unfortunately still semi passed out. Physically he seemed perfectly fine, though they hadn't gotten a single peep out of him. They had however found a very dangerous plant that had almost bitten Riko's head off before Hiei had cut it to ribbons.

Now though, it seemed like Hiei was regretting his generosity. "Human, what are you doing? Do you want to get stuck here?"

"I feel like someone just said my name," Riko said, looking around.

"You're hearing things."

"No, I'm pretty sure someone said my name," Riko said. "Listen."

Irritated, Hiei pricked his ears. To his surprise he did hear a loud, "RIKO. WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU." He frowned – had he missed it before?

"See? I swear I heard a squeak," Riko said, looking around. To her, the sound was immensely quiet, but Riko had a talent for picking up on other people saying her name in hurt tones – it was something that came in handy as a healer.

"It's the idiot," Hiei said after a moment. "He and the detective – and –" He frowned. "- A demon. They're coming at us." He nodded towards an intersection coming up. "From the left."

Nodding, Riko dodged around Hiei as he began to move again – while he was carrying Kurama and not in a hurry, she could actually go past him – and hopped to the intersection, turning to the left as soon as she got there.

Hiei hadn't been wrong.

Coming towards her were Yusuke and Kuwabara, and holding Kuwabara's hand was –

…_Okay, I'm getting a real pedo feeling right now…_ She raised her eyebrow. "You picked up a kid here? How'd you do that? Do demon woman give birth that much faster?"

"WHAT? NO!" Kuwabara blushed. "This is Suzume Hayashi, the kidnapped kid."

Suzume bowed slightly and then smiled shyly at Riko.

"Aw, you're cute." Riko bent down and patted Suzume on the head. "Why's she with you? I thought you guys were taking down the battery?"

"We were but –"

"Can we leave the explanations for later?" Yusuke butted in, stepping forward and holding out his arm to Riko. "My arm is killing me. Heal it." Riko raised an eyebrow. "_Please._"

Kuwabara remembered. "Oh, my neck too, if you don't mind."

For a moment, Riko stared at the wounds – they were interesting – not made by a knife or a blunt object but by some kind of fire – Yusuke's arm was particularly frightening as he'd been burned by a gas explosion or something even more extreme.

"…Do not tell me you can't do it." Yusuke's voice was very flat, irritated and slightly pained.

"…I can…" Riko said slowly.

Yusuke gestured with his arm again, wincing. "Then go! I'm dying here."

"Well…there is a little problem…" Riko said, her pace still slow. "I kinda…just kinda spent most of my power earlier so –" Yusuke groaned. "Hey, I can heal you." She paused.

Now irritated both by Riko's hesitation _and_ the pain, Yusuke snapped, "WHAT?"

"…You're going to have to carry me out of here."

"…Oh great." His arm twinged. "WHAT THE FUCK, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE. JUST HEAL IT!"

"Okay," Riko murmured as she set to work. "But I am not going to enjoy being carried..."

End of Chapter 21

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: **A long and very crackful chapter. I really hope that you guys enjoy it and don't mind the OOCness (and tell me how much I overdid it please!). It was very fun writing this. xDD

Ahem, I'd also like to give a shout out to KuwabaraMikey17, who's reviewed basically every chapter and gave me lots of support, as well as actually paying attention to what I write in my auther's notes. So, thank you, so much, KuwabaraMikey17! I'm really glad you enjoy it and I hope that this chapter doesn't scare you off! xD

I'd also like to thank everyone else who has taken the time to read and review this story! I really means a lot to me and I hope you all continue to enjoy it.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 22 - Intermission

"So, uh," Kuwabara scratched his face awkwardly. "How's Riko?"

Yusuke elbowed him playfully. "Hey dude, what's with that bashful face? There's no way that she likes you, and besides, don't you already have Yukina?"

Kuwabara blushed. "THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HER. Yukina is my true love. I was just wondering if Riko was alright."

"Uh huh," Yusuke snorted. "That's why you look like a tomato."

Botan smiled at the two and then the smile faded slightly.

After getting back to the portal where she'd been keeping watch with Riko passed out on Yusuke's back and Kurama leaning heavily on Hiei and Kuwabara, who was also holding the hand of Suzume Hayashi, the group had disbanded for a while to get some rest. Koenma had been extremely pleased with the whole thing, although a bit irritated that they'd been so reckless – Riko especially.

Kurama had stayed at the health clinic for two days, recovering from Raja's attack on his mind. Hiei had refused treatment and had disappeared soon after Kurama had woken up, while Kuwabara and Yusuke had both gone home to be scolded by their respective tough relative/childhood friends.

Riko had gone to the infirmary with Kurama, but unlike Kurama was still asleep after five days.

Technically, there was nothing physically wrong with her – her body had completely healed, but her power reserves were still not fully recovered.

She sighed and the sound was loud enough to distract Yusuke and Kuwabara from their squabbling.

"What's up?" Yusuke asked, taking his fist from Kuwabara's face. "Is she still not up?"

"Not yet." She gave Yusuke a brief glare as she started to lead them down the halls. "You couldn't have waited to get back to be healed?"

"Hey, that Juniper guy burned off like half my arm – it hurt. Besides, she said she could do it."

Slightly frustrated, Botan said, "She's a healer! That's her job. Of course, she said she could do it."

"How is she?" Kuwabara asked, speeding up to walk next to Botan.

"Still asleep. We haven't been getting much from her –" She stopped and then stared.

There were two people standing in front of the door that she knew led to Riko's room – she'd memorized the position after visiting the room for the tenth time on the first day of Riko's sleep. One of the people there was short, with spiky black hair that gave him the illusion of average height and a katana strapped to his waist. The other one was taller, more slender, dressed in Chinese-styled clothes and carrying a basket on his arm.

_Is that –_

"Oh wow. Kurama's freaking amazing. How the hell did he get Hiei up here?" Yusuke muttered, grinning.

As they approached, they heard Hiei saying in an irritated voice, "There is no point in me being here, Kurama. I –" He fell silent as he noticed Kuwabara and Yusuke and then rolled his eyes. "Oh wonderful. The whole gang is here now."

Yusuke, grinning, ruffled his hair. "Come on. We're just paying a visit to a cute little girl who saved pretty much all our lives –"

"Not mine," Hiei retorted. "And if I recall correctly, the mongrel," The words were very clearly directed at Kuwabara, "Here was only in pain, not death."

"Eh," Yusuke said, waving an arm as Kuwabara started yelling. "Close enough." He grinned at Kurama. "Yo, big guy. How you feeling?"

Kurama returned the grin with a cultured smile of his own. "I've recovered quite well, thank you. How do you feel, Yusuke? Kuwabara?"

Kuwabara paused in his rant against Hiei and pounded his chest. "I'm fit as a fiddle. Totally recovered."

"I'm exhausted – but that's Keiko's fault –"

The door to Riko's room opened and someone stepped out.

"Hey."

It was Riko, her gray-purple hair, messed up – one clump of it was curled directly to the right, another strand sticking almost straight up in the air. Her eyes had dark circles under it and one side of her face had a band across the cheek as if she'd been sleeping on her arm or something. She was pretty pale and was dressed in a white hospital gown that didn't help the whole look.

"Tell me," She said, her voice an interesting croak. "Why it is that after who knows how many days it's been, I wake up in bed all by myself without anyone next to me after I saved your guys' butts? Huh? Someone explain that to me."

For a moment, all five visitors could only stare at her – and then the laughing started.

"Your hair looks like a bird's nest," Yusuke snorted.

"We apologize, Riko. We were just coming in."

"You did _not_ save my life."

"Hey, we were about to come in," Kuwabara protested.

"RIKO, YOU'RE ALIVE!" And with that Botan threw herself at the other girl, knocking her over with one tackle.

With a thump, Riko landed loudly on the floor. "Owww…Oh god, Botan, you're killing me. I think I need to go back to bed. Botan…" But the other girl refused to let her go – she was saying something about being so happy that Riko was back on her feet. _No, technically right now, I'm still flat on back…_ And how she'd missed her so much and was so happy she was better._ I just woke up, I'm not better yet…_

Riko sighed. She'd gone through hordes of demons and angry humans before, but in the end she was going to be killed by a boatwoman from Death. _That's lovely._

"And you have no idea how worried I was. I couldn't sleep for –"

After watching in amusement for a minute, Kurama leaned down and gently poked Botan. "Botan, I hate to say this, but I'm afraid that if you don't let Riko go, she might suffocate."

"Too late," Yusuke muttered. He pointed at Riko who had little angels flying around her head. "She's a goner."

Botan paused in her ranting and looked at Riko. "Riko? RIKO? RIKO? NOOO –"

"Great, she's dead. I'm leaving."

Before Hiei could move, Kurama grabbed his shirt. "Be nice, Hiei. We owe her."

"_I_ don't."

"You would have if you hadn't been an idiot and decided not to get treatment," Yusuke pointed out. He jerked his chin at Hiei's face, where there was now a scar. "Now look, all your fangirls are going to go insane."

"I do not have fangirls," Hiei replied through gritted teeth.

"Actually you do," Botan said, having recovered from her Riko rant. "According to our research, you might have the most fangirls among the entire detective group." She brandished a piece of paper from nowhere. "Those demon schoolgirls really have it in for you!"

Hiei glared at her and in a moment the piece of paper had been reduced to cinders. "You shut up."

Botan stared at the ashes in her hand and then smiled, taking out more papers – again from nowhere. "That's alright. I made lots of copies so that we could all enjoy the news." She threw them up into the air, humming.

"Enjoy the news? Heck, I should be first. Or at least second," Yusuke muttered, as he reached out to take a paper –

_Whew –_

And all of a sudden, every loose paper that had left Botan's hand and was drifting in the air disappeared, Hiei momentarily disappearing from his spot next to the open door.

"Hiei! Don't be such a spoilsport!"

"I will _kill_ you."

"Guys," Kurama said, slightly bemused, slightly amused. "We're here to see Riko?" He looked at Kuwabara, who was looking unusually calm. "Kuwabara, would you help me carry her to her bed?"

Puffing up his chest, Kuwabara said, "No problem. I can do this." To the air he said, "See that? I'm stronger than Kurama. I'd be perfect boyfriend material, girls. Come and get me." He looked at Kurama. "No offense, Kurama."

"…None taken." Kurama followed Riko to the bed and sat down next to it. "How do you feel, Riko."

"…Crushed," Riko muttered. She looked at the basket. "Is that for me?"

Smiling, Kurama handed her the fruit basket. "Yes it is. I hope you like it."

Reaching in, Riko pulled out an apple. _Normally, I should probably ask someone to cut this up for me,_ She thought, staring at it intently. _But I'm too hungry to wait._ She bit into the apple and chewed for a moment then swallowed. "It's tasty." She smiled at Kurama. "Thanks."

"Wow, you're really not a lady are you?" Yusuke asked, coming over and lightly ruffling Riko's hair. "Sorry for almost killing you."

"Thanks," Riko said around another bite – she was starving. "Did _you_ bring me anything?"

"…Was I supposed to?"

Riko gave him an 'of course you were, you idiot' look. "You're always supposed to bring people in the hospital get-well presents," She said in her primest voice. "That's why you visit them."

The two of them start to argue about it, Kuwabara walk over to join in with Botan and Hiei eventually being drawn into the conversation as well, Hiei very much against his will. As Kurama watched, he couldn't help but wonder if any of the people who worked for Koenma were sane.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"…I still don't get it," Kuwabara said, staring into the kitchen-y part of the room. "How does he look so good in an apron?"<p>

Kurama was currently standing next to the sink, chopping some vegetables to make some throw together stew for Riko to eat. The apron that he was wearing was white with pink edges and covered with strawberry prints.

Softly, Yusuke whispered, "Kurama's secretly a girl –"

_Fwing –_

A knife quivered two inches from Yusuke's face.

Kurama looked over, smiling sweetly. "What was that, Yusuke?"

Yusuke held his hands up. "Nothing. Nothing. You look super manly."

Hiei, leaning against the wall, snorted. "That's what you get, detective."

"You shut up."

There was a moment of amicable disputing and then Kurama looked up. "Botan, do you have any onions?"

Botan looked up from talking to Riko and stood up. "I think we have some in the storage closet. I show you where they are. Do you need anything else?"

"Well, some meat might make this more nourishing and maybe a bigger pot (I feel like we're probably all going to eat here) and perhaps –" Kurama continued listing as Botan's face grew more and more astonished.

"Okay, okay!" She said finally. "I have an idea. Kuwabara, Yusuke, since you guys are such big strong men, come to the storage closet to get the stuff with us."

"What? Why –"

"Well Kurama can't carry it all by myself, and you don't expect a girl like me to do such heavy lifting do you ~?" She shook her head. "Silly boys."

The group gathered at the door, Kuwabara and Yusuke grumbling. Looking back, Botan called, "We'll be back in a minute ~ Hiei, don't kill Riko."

The door closed behind them.

_Well, this is awkward…_ Riko thought after a moment. She looked at Hiei, wondering if she should even try to make conversation – her eyes widened. She stared.

"What are you looking at, human?" Hiei asked, turning to stare coldly at Riko.

"Your face…" Riko reached out instinctively. "Where'd you get that scar? Is that the one Kurama gave you?" She shook her head. "Why – didn't you get it healed?"

Grunting, Hiei turned his head away. "I have no need to be healed. This wound does not bother me."

…_It almost cut out your eye…_ Riko thought. She sighed and shook her head – there was probably no point in arguing. She would just let it go.

Two minutes later, Riko was twitching from the efforts of not healing Hiei – healing had become as embedded in her as anything else, and not healing something so annoying – something that didn't have to be a scar, but was – it irritated the hell out of Riko.

_Control, control, control,_ Riko thought, trying to breathe deeply.

"What's wrong with you human? Are you having a convulsion?"

_Oh you would love that, wouldn't you?_ Riko thought, the effects of not being able to heal making her very grumpy and annoyed. _I can't decide whether to sneak attack heal you or sneak attack kill you._ She was tapping one finger on the side of her bed, where there was wood, creating a clacking noise. _How to do this…_

"Will you please let me heal you?"

Riko closed her eyes. _…Damn you healing instinct. You couldn't wait for me to come up with a plan?_!

"…I do not need healing –" Hiei began.

"You might not, but I do!" Riko said, completely giving in to her fanatic instinct. "Do you know how much it bothers me to see a freaking scar? A fresh scar? LEMME HEAL IT." She was breathing hard now, her eyes almost crazy.

…

"Hiei, if you don't let me heal it now, I will sneak into your house or your –" Riko searched for another word, "Your nest or - or cave or whatever it is you sleep in – cause you have to sleep sometime – and _I will heal it_!"

…

"Please just come here before I really go insane…" Riko said, tired. She had somehow shifted to a tea ceremony position sometime during the conversation and was now sitting on her feet.

"…As I said before, I do not need –"

In one swift movement, Riko grabbed an orange from her fruits basket and had crawled to the edge of the bed, as close to Hiei, who stood less than half a meter away against the wall, as she could get. She stretched and handed the orange to Hiei, who stared at it and then reached out and placed a hand above Hiei's cheek, right under the eye.

Before Hiei could flinch away, a purple spark had slid from under Riko's skin and jumped to his, closing the wound with one quick stitch.

_There,_ Riko thought in satisfaction. Her eyes slowly closed, and she collapsed off the bed, landing at Hiei's feet.

And it was at that moment that the rest of the gang decided to walk through the door.

"AH. HE KILLED HER. AND HE'S STEALING HER FRUIT. Man, Hiei, even for you, that's low."

"…SHE'D NOT DEAD."

"Then why's she lying on the ground?" Yusuke asked, walking over, his arms full of stuff and poking Riko's still form. "And she looks all pale again, too."

Crossing his arms, Hiei looked away. "She was being idiotic."

Kurama looked at Riko, who was dead on the ground and Hiei, who looked halfway between irritated and confused and then at Hiei's cheek. The scar was gone. His eyes widened, and then he smiled.

"Leave him be, Yusuke. It's time for dinner."

As she slept, breathing slowly and deeply, a slow smile slid across Riko's smile as Hiei's clean face slid in front of her closed eyes.

_That's better._

End of Chapter 22 - Intermission

* * *

><p>Please review (and tell me if the OOC was too much!)<p> 


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N**: New arc. Yes, yes this is based off the Dark Tournament, but going for a different angle. Yes, you will probably see the Dark Tournament participants here. Let me know what you think of this, and I hope you guys enjoy it.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 23

"Koenma, have you ever heard of anything called a 'break'?"

The toddler took a moment out of frantically stamping papers to glare at Yusuke – he'd become so swamped with paperwork following the collapse of basically all the demons in the Twisted Prison and several protests from surviving family members about prisoner treatment (_Really, just ridiculous,_ Koenma thought) that he hadn't even been able to take a break while briefing the team – to glare at his spirit detective.

Yusuke held up his hands. "Hey, I've got every reason to ask. It's been two freaking weeks since we got back from the Twisted Prison."

Koenma gave Yusuke a disdainful look up and down. "Are you not fully recovered?"

"Yeah, but…"

"Then don't complain. You were fine when you walked out of the Twisted Prison. Kurama has only just fully recovered, and Riko –" Koenma paused and then muttered something derogatory under his breath.

"Never mind, Yusuke, Koenma. What's the job?" Kuwabara asked.

Glaring at his 'friend', Yusuke asked, under his breath, "Always have to be the suck up, don't you?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to show some respect here."

"Like when you called this place crazy cause they're run by a toddler?"

"Ahem." Koenma coughed and glared at both boys. "Can we get back to the mission?"

Grumbling, both boys turned obediently back to face their 'boss'.

Sighing, Koenma began to stamp again, his pace much slower now so he could concentrate on the briefing. He nodded at Ogre, who slid a particularly white sheet of paper across to Yusuke and Kuwabara.

They both leaned in to take a look.

The paper was emblazoned with a golden border and large, graceful letters that said:

Wadoshi Gahmeno

**The Games of Blood**

**This Year's Prize: Sakar Brooch**

And underneath that a picture of a glittering diamond stone set in gold that was carved with mysterious symbols.

_To Enter: Teams of Five must be entered to the committee by XX/XX/XXXX to allow for sufficient time to create the brackets. If more information is requested, please contact your nearest Demon World Wadoshi Gahmeno representatives._

Yusuke and Kuwabara slowly looked up, their motions in unison. "…What's this?"

Koenma, who had gone back to rapid stamping, barely glanced up. "Your next assignment. Enter the games and win the prize. Good luck, have fun and try not to die."

There was a brief silence.

"WHAT?" This part was spoken in harmony by the two.

"Koenma, you've got to be kidding me. You want us to participate in 'Games of Blood'? Are you trying to get us killed or something? We almost got fried by Juniper just two weeks ago, and now you wanna throw us under the bus again?" This is Yusuke.

"How are we going to enter? We only have four people, unless you count Riko, and she made it pretty clear that she can't fight. At least I think she did – or maybe she was just kidding – I never really got it when we were still together in the Labyrinthine and then afterwards, she just fainted." This is Kuwabara, who is speaking at the same time as Yusuke.

Sighing – he'd hoped that the two would just accept his words and leave – Koenma put his stamp down and turned his full attention to the humans. He folded his hands in front of him and took a breath. "This 'game' takes place every five years. It is – as advertised – a killing game – whoever can take down his opponent most effectively will win. Many demons and spiritual humans participate because of the prize that's offered. Most of the time, it's a large sum of money, property, a wish –" He looked at the flyer. "And this year, an artifact."

"…What's so bad about that?"

"The Sakar Brooch is an extremely powerful item. It was originally in the position of Spirit World, but it was somehow misplaced a few hundred years ago, and we never got around to looking for it. Now that it's come up again…" He shook his head. "The Sakar Brooch enhances the spirit or demon energy of whoever wears it. It gives them an almost unlimited supply of power and would be deadly in the wrong hands." He looked at Yusuke and Kuwabara, eyes serious. "That's why you have to win it instead of another team. Win it and bring it back."

Another brief silence followed this revelation.

Kuwabara raised his hand. "I have a question." Koenma nodded. "You said this thing can enhance your powers?" Koenma nodded. "…Is it really safe to trust Hiei around something like this?"

The question made Koenma hesitate. It was something that he had thought quite a lot about as well, and he still wasn't sure if he had a good answer. Still, he didn't wish to tell Kuwabara that. "I trust him," He said with complete confidence. "His freedom is on the line here." He neglected to mention that Hiei's freedom was pretty much assured if he got his hands on the Sakar Brooch.

He just had to trust in Hiei – and Kurama and Yusuke to keep him out of trouble.

"So is Riko going to be our last member?" Yusuke asked. "Or are you gonna bubble up some other fighter?"

Again, Koenma hesitated. He wanted to say that he'd find someone else, but really, he just didn't have the time to do so. Riko was the only available 'fighter' around. Still, he was having the same doubts about Riko as he had had about Hiei. Riko probably wouldn't go on a quest to kill all humans, but she did have a thing for treasure which meant that giving her this mission had a lot of risk.

He hadn't even told Riko about the Killing Games yet for fear that she might –

The door to his office opened. An ogre walked in, sweat staining his face and arms. Pressed against his back was a sword, the tip very close to carving a hole through to the ogre's heart. On the other end of the sword was Riko, who was smiling lightly.

She smiled at Koenma. "Hi. Killing Games. When do we start?"

"Riko, what are you doing?" Koenma asked as Kuwabara said, "I thought you couldn't fight!"

Riko's grin grew just a little wider. "I can't ~" She tossed the sword aside and smirked at the ogre as he turned around to glare at her. "But thankfully, Koenma's lackeys don't know that yet." She walked past him, the high from successfully threatening an ogre that could probably eat her for breakfast without breaking a sweat and from hearing about a new toy making her a giddier than normal.

"Where'd you get the sword?" Yusuke asked, staring.

Dismissively, Riko said, "I picked it up. The owner won't miss it."

…_I have a feeling that's not true somehow…_ Koenma thought, irritated. "Why are you here, Riko?"

She looked at him, and there was a slight spark as Koenma met her gray eyes, something ambitious and excited. He'd forgotten Riko's treasure hunter side.

"I heard that you had a new mission for these guys and that it involved some interesting prizes." She smiled. "The Sakar Brooch, huh? I tried to find that once – didn't really work out." She paused and then added lightly, "Don't worry. I won't try to steal it. I just wanna see ~"

…_I really should let Father just blast her._ Koenma looked at his healer and then at Kuwabara and Yusuke who seemed rather bemused by Riko's newfound giddiness.

"Aw, come on, Koenma. Don't you trust me?"

"…Unfortunately, Riko, I trust you about as much as you could throw Yusuke in your normal form."

Riko looked at Yusuke. "I can't even lift him."

"Exactly."

There was a brief pause as Kuwabara and Yusuke snickered, Koenma considered the problem, and Riko cheerfully dismissed the comment. She was relatively sure that – in the end – she would get her way. After all, she was an innocent, little human girl – and he couldn't really refuse in front of Kuwabara or Yusuke. They didn't know about her thieveries and Koenma was bound by his oath not to say anything about it.

Finally, Koenma sighed – Riko grinned. She knew what was coming.

"You can be the fifth member –"

"Yay ~ Thanks, Koenma!" Riko said, giving him a brief wave before skipping quickly out of the room. She let it close behind her, pretending not to hear Koenma yelling at her to come back from inside. She began to skip down the halls, dodging around ogres and other workers who crowded the place. A playful smile had taken over her face.

She looked down at her hands. Both of them were bare now – the ring having disappeared from her left pinky. It wasn't that the ring hadn't suited her purposes – it was just that there were so many treasures in the world that she didn't want to settle with just one. And besides, she'd had the ring for quite a while before the Twisted Prison. It was time to switch it up a bit.

In her mind, Riko ran over the artifacts that she had with her at the moment, wondering which one would be best for some massive demon killing.

* * *

><p><em>.<em>

* * *

><p><em>A stone that can give me limitless power…<em>

Kurama glanced at Hiei, knowing what was running through his head – working with him – even for a failed plan – had taught him much about the other demon. He turned his gaze back to Koenma, who was giving him a meaningful look – he was to keep Hiei from losing control – a task that he wasn't even sure was possible.

"Anything else, Koenma?" Whatever he was thinking, Hiei's voice remained as frigid as ever.

"No. That's all. You may take your leave, Hiei."

The use of his name – and the exclusion of Kurama – made Hiei pause. He looked at Koenma rather coldly and addressed him with, "There's little point in warning Kurama to keep an eye on me. He has already fallen prey to your honor code and will watch me to prevent me from messing with the task at hand. Also, do not suppose that Kurama will be able to stop me if I wish to take the jewel."

Wearily, Koenma waved a hand. "Of course, Hiei. I just want to tell him how spiffy he's looking today."

Hiei snorted in derision and then vanished.

Stepping up, Kurama asked in his soft voice, "Yes, Koenma?"

"…He is right. I don't have to tell you to watch him." Koenma sighed and then got serious again. "I do have another task for you though. Aside from looking after Hiei, I also wish for you to keep an eye on Riko."

Kurama's eyebrows rose. "Riko?" The idea had occurred to him briefly, but he hadn't really given it much thought. This warning though was bringing it into a fresh light. "You don't trust her?"

"She gets…she's not very sensible around treasure. I don't expect her to do anything _too_ stupid, but just in case – I want you to watch her." Koenma looked at Kurama. "You're the best person I have for this job – Hiei is a risk factor and Kuwabara and Yusuke haven't yet found out about her history. I must ask you. Do not let her know that I did so."

"…Very well."

They locked eyes for a moment, and then Koenma nodded. "You may go."

Outside the great doors, Kurama leaned against the wall and sighed, looking up into infinite sky.

_And now there's another convict to watch out for._

__End of Chapter 23

* * *

><p>Please review!<p> 


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Really late and REALLY crappy! I'm so sorry guys. I just got caught up in my work and I was like mehh, and I did want to make this better, but I didn't want to delay anymore!

Good news is that I'll be trying to return to my schedule this weekend, so...hopefully I'll be able to keep that going for at least a week...xD

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 24

"Will you stop humming?" Yusuke asked, irritated. "It's really creepy." He looked at Riko and added, "And what's with the earrings? You didn't even have your ears pierced the last time we I saw you. Why the hell would you go get them before a freaking tournament?"

Riko's humming paused and she raised an eyebrow at Yusuke, taking a closer look at him as she did so. He had dark circles under his eyes and there was a grumpy expression on his face that seemed a bit out of place – even for him.

"What's up with you?"

He grumbled something and didn't answer, walking forward and kicking a tree branch out of his way as he did so.

"He was at Genkai's for the past month," Kuwabara muttered to her.

Riko blinked up at the orange-headed guy. "I have no clue what that means."

"Well, Genkai's kinda like his teacher."

"SHE'S A FREAKING DEMON." Those words came from Yusuke who was still crashing through the undergrowth with little regard for either greenery or whatever poor animals might have been there before.

_Okay, note to self. Stay away from Genkai. _She shook her head, a slight smile crossing her lips. "So Yusuke's just…recovering from her training?

"That's right. He's always like this." Kurama, on her other side, with Hiei next to him, looked at her and frowned. "But he is right though. Earrings aren't very…" He searched for a diplomatic word, " – Convenient – in the course of a fight."

His words brought Riko's attention back to the topic that Yusuke had started – her earrings. She raised an absent hand and lightly touched one. They were the dangle kind, a pair of leaves, curled slightly at the edges. The outside portion of each leaf was black, etched with little leaves, but while the etchings continued, about halfway across each leaf, the color sharply changed to silver, giving the impression of glimmering rhinestones.

For a moment, Riko played with them and then she grinned at Kurama and pulled one off.

Kuwabara let out a yelp of surprise mixed with pain, Kurama leaned back, shocked, and even Hiei looked a bit startled at the movement.

Smiling lightly at their reactions, Riko held out the earring so that they could see it better. "They're clip-ons," She explained, the same cheerful tone that had been in her voice as she'd been humming carrying on now. "So I can take them off whenever and with almost no time lapse."

"Given that the person we're speaking of is you, that's unlikely," Hiei muttered under his breath.

Glancing at the demon, Riko shook her head and didn't reply. It gave her some satisfaction that she'd managed to heal the cut below Hiei's eye, but it still didn't seem safe to go against Hiei or to bring up the fact that she'd healed him.

Kurama looked at the earrings as Riko put the one she'd pulled off back on. He's noticed when he'd seen Riko that morning that she wasn't wearing the pinky ring anymore and that put together with the fact that it was her only means of fighting and they were going to a tournament implied to him that her earrings were her new weapons. He wondered what they could do. They didn't look particularly different but then, neither had the ring.

"You like accessory weapons?" Kurama asked, slightly teasingly, keeping his voice low so that Kuwabara couldn't hear.

"They're pretty and they're dangerous," Riko replied, adjusting the earring. She paused and then added, "But then, I'm sure you know all about that." She raised an eyebrow at him to which he smiled graciously and –

"Ha. Look, it's a human. Great, we get to have a snack before we start fighting."

The words made the entire group refocus their attention. Yusuke, who had gotten pretty far ahead, was now standing before several particularly ugly looking demons. They were gathering around him, cracking their knuckles and flashing sharp fangs and claws. Several of them had multiple horns that only added to the foul image.

Before they could get any further in their dinner plans, one of them sniffed and looked up, his face falling when he saw the rest of the group approaching – in particular, the two demons accompanying the humans.

He grunted. "He's not a lost human, guys." He sniffed and glared at them. "So this the human team we're hearing about?" He looked at Hiei and Kurama. "And the bunch of traitors that joined them?"

"Traitor?" Kurama asked, coldly.

"I don't remember ever allying myself with so pathetic a bunch of weaklings as you," Hiei added, his voice even icier than Kurama's.

Kuwabara leaned over to Riko and whispered, "Hey, can you see the icicles?"

Riko grinned. "Lots of them," She murmured back.

"Weaklings?" Growled one of the demons. He stepped forward – or at least, Riko assumed it was a he based on the stature of the demon – a low rumble coming from his throat. "You think we're weak? We're not the ones allying with a bunch of –"

Before the demon could finish his sentence – _Aw, and I actually wanted to hear what he was going to say_, Riko thought wryly - a screech and then, "All contestants for the Wadoshi Games please report to the building for check-in now. All those who do not show up in the next three hours will be disqualified and disallowed entry." There was another screech and then the loudspeaker shut off entirely.

…_That loudspeaker is not tuned properly,_ Riko thought, lowering her hands from her ears.

The demon who had stepped forward glared at the group for a minute and then backed off. "You should be happy," He growled. "You're going to live for now." And with that eloquently clichéd statement, he stomped off with his team towards the low, stone building in the distance.

Silence prevailed for several seconds as the demons got over their annoyance and Kuwabara and Riko stared after the demons, highly bemused, while Yusuke glared at the ground, still grumpy. Finally, Kurama sighed. "We should get going as well," He said, voice having returned to its normal, velvety quality.

As they began to walk again, Yusuke and Kurama in front, with Kuwabara and Riko close behind them and Hiei a bit ways behind them all, Yusuke took a precursory look at the building. It was very plain and seemed pretty dirty too, although that could have just been the pessimism talking. Still, there was no doubt that it was not a five-star hotel, and Koenma had told them that they would be staying wherever the committee provided them for the duration of the tournament.

_If we have to sleep in this shitpile…_

"Raindrops keep falling on my head ~" Riko hummed quietly, keeping her voice low to keep from disturbing Yusuke or Hiei. She was playing with the earrings as she walked, flicking the leaves back and forth so that they created a funny tinkling noise. Her eyes were sparkling.

_Sakar Brooch, I'm coming for you._

Kuwabara wiped his hands on his pants as he quickened his pace to catch up with Yusuke. He could feel an enormous amount of demon energy coming from the building, so much that he wondered if they'd be able to repel an attack if it came. He was fairly confident in his own abilities, as well as Yusuke and Kurama's and – though it killed him to admit it – Hiei's as well, but still. It was a time when numbers seemed to win out over skill.

_Hey, Mr. Yama or Enma or whoever, please don't let them swarm us. I've had enough of random demon dogpiles…_

Raising a hand, Kurama delicately covered his wrinkled nose. The scent of demon – low-class demons mostly, although he could pick out a few scents that might prove troublesome in the future – filled his nostrils and made it hard to breathe properly. He hadn't realized completely based on Koenma's reports just how many people really came to this thing.

_More to worry about. Lovely…_

The feel of the hilt of the sword under his hand was very calming. He had shifted his weight first when the low-class demon had first stepped forward. The disgust and dislike was slowly abating, although he did wish that the demon had actually attacked so he could have retaliated with a good reason.

_Still,_ Hiei thought,_ There will be plenty of chances to destroy that kind._

He stepped forward, level with the girl and then past her –

"Whoa," Riko said, stepping forward quickly, so that, if a line was drawn, Hiei would technically still be walking behind her.

Hiei sent her a withering glance and lengthened his pace again.

And again, Riko darted forward, going past him.

"What are you doing?"

"You can't go past me."

Hiei glared at the human. "And why not, human? Do not think you control me."

Riko pointed at the ground. "I am a healer. Healers are not allowed to be first in their group or last in their group. Therefore, you – as the current last person in our group – are not allowed to go past me. It's etiquette." Inwardly, she thought, _Didn't I already explain this?_

A pause ensued as Hiei glared at Riko and then stepped in front of her again, his step very deliberate. They were almost at the front doors now, the other three in front of them ignoring the silly argument going on just behind their backs. They were starting to go up the steps that led to the front door.

Immediately, Riko leapt up the stairs in one bound, almost tripping as she did so, but landing in front of Hiei for a brief moment, before he, moving much more gracefully, skated past her again, going through the front entrance.

Frowning slightly, Riko quickened her step – she really wasn't supposed to be last – and entered just after the boys -

She put her foot down and the ground did not rise up to support it. Riko's head immediately flashed down, and she didn't have enough time to get out a scream before she began to fall – fall fast. She twisted in midair and clawed at the air, trying to get back outside where there was actually a floor – she didn't want to fall. If she fell – it would be death. There was no doubt about that. Probably a very painful death – as if getting crushed by gravity and stone wouldn't be enough.

Her hand caught the stone step just outside, and with a jar, she came to a stop. She could feel stone digging into her skin and knew that in less than a minute, her hand would either go numb and loosen, plunging her to her fate or she would let go to avoid the pain.

It was chaos around her. There were demons screaming – all of them having been caught in the same trap as her. She couldn't see any of her teammates, and even if she could, she doubt that she would have recognized them. Noise and adrenaline had addled Riko's vision so much that everything was turning to a blur in front of her eyes.

Screams, curses, shrieks of pain and fear –

And above it all, a loudspeaker blaring:

"Welcome to the Wadoshi Games. Let the preliminaries begin."

End of Chapter 24

* * *

><p>Please review! (even if it sucks. I'm sorry. T_T)<p> 


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Late again. Bleh. But I really mean it this time, when I say I wanna get it back on track. Will try to have a chapter out by Friday and then Sunday...and then reset to normal. Wish me luck! xD

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 25

"Welcome to the Wadoshi Games. Let the preliminaries begin."

…_Okay. I'm screwed._ Riko reached up, her mind still racing and touched her earrings. If she activated the treasure, she could get out of this – probably – but…_ To reveal my trump so soon…_ Riko's dramatic side didn't like it.

Very, very cautiously, Riko turned her head. There were demons clawing at the pit walls around her. A lot of the ones with better reflexes, quick minds or interesting powers had managed to avoid falling and were scrambling onto solid ground. The pit was only about ten meters in all directions.

There was a temptation to look down – see what was happening at the bottom – but looking down would bring fear and panic – and neither of those would help in this situation.

_So, if I don't wanna use the earrings my best bet would probably be…_

"Kurama! Yusuke! Kuwabara! Someone help me!"

* * *

><p>Yusuke had been, by a hair, the first one of the group to walk into the room, and so naturally, had been the first to fall as well. He'd been so embroiled in his little anger nest that he didn't consciously realize that he was falling until about five seconds after the event.<p>

Luckily for him, subconsciously, his newly trained and rather sore, but still conditioned body reacted for him, firing two shots towards the ground that propelled him upwards and then just grasping the other side of the hole. It was at this time that Yusuke actually noticed what was going on.

"What the fuck?"

Straining the muscles in the hand holding onto the ledge, Yusuke threw himself up and landed roughly on solid ground. The shock went straight through his body.

"Owwwwwww…"

When he'd recovered from the ringing of the pain, Yusuke glanced around. His eyes widened. "Ohh, man, Kuwabara…"

* * *

><p>"…Kuwabara, it's really alright. I can get to the other side by myself."<p>

Kuwabara shook his head, holding it up gallantly as he extended his spirit sword again and sent them flying across the hole. With his other arm, he was holding a very disgruntled-looking Kurama around the waist. "No, it's alright. I insist. True gentleman must help the ladies."

"…Kuwabara. I'm a guy."

"I know! But still! You –"

"Let go, Kuwabara."

A bit reluctantly, Kuwabara removed his arm as they landed next to Yusuke, who gave Kuwabara a cocked eyebrow. "Not just Riko huh? Gotta hit on Kurama, too." He shook his head mockingly. "Man, you are in all sorts today."

Kurama rubbed his forehead as Kuwabara leapt at Yusuke. _That officer was right. I should have just quit stealing while I was ahead. Now see where it gets me. A bad job, an injury, fifteen years in a human's body and I'm babysitting some very large children._ Something sparked in his mind, and Kurama raised his head._ Speaking of large children…_

He scanned around for any sign of Hiei or Riko. They'd been arguing about something when they'd been nearing the castle – Kurama knew that he really should have dealt with it then, but it had seemed rather trivial, and at least Hiei wasn't trying to kill Riko and they hadn't seemed to be conspiring to get the Sakar Brooch…

_Well, there's Hiei at least._ Kurama thought, as he spotted Hiei.

The Jaganshi demon had reacted to the fall before it could happen and had stuck his sword in the wall and was currently standing on top of it, surveying the scene around him. As he looked around, he caught Kurama's eye and then a moment later, his sword was sheathed and he was standing next to Kurama.

He peered around. "What happened to the other one?" He asked.

"I'm looking for her now," Kurama murmured. "Weren't – ah." A small curled Kurama's lips up. "Over there." He nodded in the direction of Riko, who was just finishing her survey of the pit and starting her cry for help.

"…Pathetic."

"Oh, Riko," Kuwabara paused in the middle of trying to punch Yusuke in the stomach and looked over. "RIKO! WE'RE COMING FOR YOU!" He stopped and then looked up at Kurama. "We are, aren't we?"

Still smiling, Kurama nodded, "Yes," and then pulled a rose from his hair.

"Whoa," Yusuke said, also on pause. "Whoa, whoa. If you use that, aren't you gonna leave a lot of dents in the arm of our healer who says that she doesn't heal herself?"

Kurama lashed the rose through the air and a thornless vine appeared, pooling into a perfect spiral at his feet, while its user looked at Yusuke.

"…Why couldn't you do that for when you saved me?"

"I didn't have time to think about it then. Of course next time, I could just let you fall while I think about creating a thorn whip without any thorns."

Yusuke glared.

Smiling, Kurama turned his attention back to Riko, taking aim for a moment and then lashing the whip out.

Something green and firm and cool wrapped itself around Riko's arm just moments after her call had finished. She almost yelped in surprise and then almost fought as it pulled back and sent her ricocheting into the air, a glorious flight that lasted several seconds before Riko crashed into the ground and rolled several times before hitting a pile of bodies.

Wincing, she looked up at what she'd hit.

Kuwabara and Yusuke look down at her, bemused

Shaking her head, Riko continued her look down until she saw the holder of the green tendril that was retreating from her wrist. It had left a red mark there, but there were no sharp puncture wounds in her skin. She sat up and rubbed it, then looked up at Kurama. "Thank you for not stabbing me."

"My pleasure," Kurama said and then, as he recalled his whip and replaced the rose, the joviality faded.

About thirty groups of five had fallen into the pit, which seemed to have no bottom, because although there was a lot of screaming, there were very few landing splats. A quick survey around showed Kurama five groups in the room, aside from his own, but it seemed very likely that there were other groups who'd arrived earlier and had already registered and gone through this trial.

"So," Yusuke said, as he stood up and dusted himself off. "What the hell was this?"

"They called it the preliminaries," Kurama said softly. "So this is our first test."

"Isn't this a bit overboard for the first thing they spring on us?" Kuwabara asked, scratching his head. "I mean, first thing, you fall into a pit? Come on –"

Hiei interrupted, voice cold, "This is a demon tournament." His arms were crossed. "We don't fight weaklings."

Riko looked up at the demon and was overcome with a childish urge to imitate his voice badly and repeat everything he had just said. She had actually opened her mouth and said squeakily, "This –" before common sense took over and she swallowed the rest of the sentence.

Kuwabara looked at her strangely. "Was that a sneeze?"

"No. Don't mind it," Riko said, getting to her feet.

"Are we all ready?" Kurama asked. He nodded in satisfaction at the nods that he received and then gestured at Yusuke to lead the way. "Be careful," He added as they began to walk. He glanced especially at Riko and Kuwabara as he said it. "I doubt that the preliminaries would be so easy to get through."

Yusuke groaned. "Oh, that's it."

"…What's wrong, Yusuke?"

"You've jinxed us. We're gonna get hit by some ridiculous crap now –"

"Oh no, now that's a jinx," Riko interrupted as they started down a white walled, hard-floor. "Wait for it, wait for it…"

Yusuke glanced back at her, irritated. "Hey, you're the one who's gonna get killed when spears start flying out the walls."

"Hey, I didn't die last time."

"Your shoulder almost got cut off, and then we got the lecture about how healers don't heal themselves."

"Now this is interesting. What are we talking about?"

The voice came from a petite young girl, pixie-like with pale orange hair that fell to her shoulders. She had been hiding in the shadows, but as they passed now, she stepped out. Her eyes were a matching shade of orange, although a bit lighter and tinted with very light strands of yellow. She was dressed in a blue and white sailor uniform that showed off her long, slender legs. As the group turned to look at her, she smiled at them, tilting her head to the side playfully.

There was a pause as they looked her up and down, Kuwabara seeming mildly impressed by her looks and then Yusuke opened his mouth and asked, bluntly, "Who are you?"

The girl smiled. "Yuuna." She curtsied. "I'll be your guide from now on."

"Guide?" Kurama murmured.

"Why do we need a guide?" Yusuke asked brusquely.

Kuwabara elbowed him. "Shut up, Urameshi. She's just trying to help us."

"I wasn't stopping her. I was just wondering."

Yuuna tilted her head to the other side and grinned. "I'm your reward ~" She said in a tone that could be taken as seductive. "Since you passed the preliminary test, I'll be taking you to the next location."

Riko raised an eyebrow. "Next location? Meaning we're not staying here."

Turning her head, Yuuna appraised Riko for a moment and then smiled again. "That's right ~ Are you ready to move on to the actual tournament location –" She paused, seemingly for dramatic effect, and then lowering her voice, asked, "Or, after what you just witnessed, would you like to drop out? I warn you, this is only the beginning –"

"We're not dropping out," Hiei interrupted, impatient. "Take us to our next location."

Yuuna looked around, but found no opposition to Hiei's statement. The smile returned to her face, but this time it seemed much darker. "Very well. Let us continue on then." She turned and walked to the wall, placing her hand on it – with manicured, painted nails, Riko noticed – for a moment.

The wall didn't change, but it did slide aside, revealing a hollow section that Yuuna proceeded to walk into. She took several steps, and then looked back at them. "Have you changed your mind?"

With a wordless glare, Hiei took the lead. Yusuke raised an eyebrow at his back and then shrugged and started to walk, followed by Riko, and then Kuwabara and Kurama.

There was silence for a moment and then Yusuke raised a hand. "Hey. I have a question?"

Without glancing back, Yuuna chirped, "When we get there, I'll be happy to answer questions ~"

"…And how long will that take?"

"Not too long now. We're about to reach our transportation."

As if her words themselves were the cue, the wall suddenly ended and sunlight poured in. Another minute and they were standing in semi-sunset.

Riko's eyes widened. "Wow."

Yusuke whistled. "A jet? Man, where do these demons get their cash?"

End of Chapter 25

* * *

><p>Please review. Please. My self-esteem lies on this. (JK. :P But seriously, review please ~ Lemme know what you think.)<p> 


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** Late. Sorry. But I will have something up tomorrow, and at least this is up early this morning right? xD I hope you guys enjoy. It's a bit disjointed, but...lemme know what you think.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 26

"What's that?"

Riko glanced back at Yusuke and Kuwabara who were both peering at her glass, which was filled with a mysterious deep red color. She waved it at them playfully and said, "Blood," in her most serious tone, then cocked her head and gave a small smile at their expressions. "I'm just kidding. It's wine."

Their expression didn't change.

"Riko, you drink?" Kurama asked, looking over and raising an eyebrow.

"You're way too young," Yusuke accused. "You're our age." He paused. "You are, aren't you?"

Shrugging, Riko tilted the glass back and took a sip. "I am, but _they_ don't care," She said, her eyes flicking to the stewardesses who guarded both entrances. "And besides, I have a good tolerance." She took another sip and then glanced around.

Kurama noticed the action. "Yuuna's still in the cockpit." And then, "Really? Wine?"

Holding the glass out, Riko asked, "Do you wanna try some?"

"…I'll pass."

Again, Riko shrugged and then glanced at Yusuke and Kuwabara who both stepped back, Yusuke muttering something about it smelling like his mom. Riko settled more comfortably into her seat and glanced out the window. They were several thousand meters in the air, and clouds, dark clouds, could be seen at a level, although far in the distance.

"Oh, are we all making ourselves comfortable?"

The white slide door that led to the cockpit opened and then closed again as the petite form of Yuuna walked through.

…_I wonder if I don't like her because there's actually something wrong with her,_ Riko thought, lowering her glass slowly,_ Or if it's because she kinda looks like me._

There were few noticeable similarities – short gray-purple hair to medium orange-blond locks, gray eyes to golden-amber ones – but the body shape was similar – both short and petite – both with little to hint that they were athletic, both with flat chests and slender limbs.

Yuuna had been smiling around brightly. She now slipped over to where Kurama and Kuwabara were sitting across from each other over a coffee table – Yusuke was sitting on a single couch at one end of the coffee table while Hiei still stood, near one of the windows. She placed herself on the sofa next to Kuwabara, who looked like he was conflicted between scooting away and scooting closer to the girl.

_And just what is she? _Riko wondered. She certainly couldn't tell. Demon, human – they all looked and felt basically the same to her. She took a step back towards the concession table – a bit dangerous several thousand meters in the air, but it looked secure enough. She picked up the wine glass and refilled her glass.

As she did, Yuuna asked, "So. You guys had questions?" Her voice was very bright, almost like pattering raindrops.

"Yeah. What's going on here?"

Riko turned around in time to catch Yuuna tilt her head to the side and blink, wide-eyed. "What do you mean?" She asked, chirpy. "You've just passed the preliminaries and are about to enter the location of the Wadoshi Games."

"Where?" Kurama asked.

Shaking her head, Yuuna said, "We can't tell you that. It's a secret."

"A secret?" Scorn literally dripped from Hiei's voice. "There are windows."

…_Funny how his attitude is amusing when it's not directed at me,_ Riko thought as she walked back over to the couches and sat down next to Kurama, directly across from Yuuna. She looked at the other girl as she did so, but unfortunately, the girl had turned her attention to Hiei.

There was a smile on her face, the same bland smile, but somehow scarier. "That's an illusion." She nodded at the windows. "Nothing you see outside is real right now."

The statement was followed by almost a dozen eyes darting towards the windows and then back at Yuuna.

"Why the secrecy?" Kurama asked, voice level.

"It's more entertaining this way," Yuuna replied. Her eyes twinkled. "If you wish to invite anyone to come watch, they'll have to come this way as well."

…_Twinkling eyes, what is she, an elf?_ Uncharacteristic irritation was starting to bubble in the pit of Riko's stomach. "How's this going to work? What's going to happen when we get to wherever we go?" And then, the question that she had been trying to hold back, "And what part do you have in this?"

Now, Yuuna turned to face Riko, and the irritation seemed about to boil over, and it was all Riko could do not to throw her wine glass at the other girl. Why was she so annoyed?

Yuuna's voice stayed chipper. "I'm going to be your guide. I'll be the one informing you of your next fights, your schedules, your rooms… Any questions that you have, they'll come through me." She sat back a bit and continued, "As for what will happen – well, you're going to get registered, receive IDs – you have to keep those on you. Unauthorized personnel aren't allowed where we're going." Her smile remained constant. "And if you don't have your ID, you will be killed."

Everyone was silent for a moment as this not so savory information was digested. A beep broke the silence. Yuuna looked down at her wrist and then stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go check on something."

…_I wonder what she'd do if I said I 'I don't excuse you',_ Riko thought crossly. The other side of her mind told her,_ Breathe, Riko. Breathe._ She lifted her glass to her lips and drank slowly as Yuuna walked over to the cockpit and stepped through the sliding door.

The moment it closed behind her, Kuwabara announced, "I don't think she's human." He paused and then added, "Or demon."

Yusuke and Riko looked at him, curious and more than a little surprised. Yusuke had felt something of the sort himself, but he had assumed that it had just been a weird form of demon energy. Riko had felt nothing of the sort and was about to ask for clarification when –

"Of course she's not," Hiei said, voice icy.

Heads turned to Hiei and then Kurama as he added, softly, "She's not alive."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Yusuke held a hand up to stop him. "What? She's dead? What? When – and where – did you get this?"

Kurama and Hiei exchanged glances. "I just realized," Kurama admitted.

"I knew when I couldn't detect her presence." Hiei looked at Kuwabara. "That didn't make _you_ just a bit suspicious?"

Kuwabara shrugged, suddenly a bit bashful. "I just thought that I was too distracted and that she was so weak she got mixed in with all the others." He shook his head. "I didn't realize – until now –" He looked up, his eyes serious. "She – doesn't have any energy. Spirit or demon or – anything."

Following this was a brief silence as the words sunk in. Then –

"I'm sorry, but how exactly can she be dead and yet up and talking?" Riko asked. "Botan told me that the dead – well, she takes the dead to the Spirit World, and I'm pretty sure this isn't some weird little corner of it."

Again, Kurama and Hiei looked at each other, and then Kurama turned his eyes back to Riko and slowly shook his head, "I'm afraid I have no idea."

Which, of course, started a stuttering fit from Kuwabara. "Kurama doesn't know something! How is this possible?"

After a judicious moment of glares Kuwabara's way – to which he gave a sheepish grin – the mood turned serious again.

"Yusuke," Kurama said, after a moment. "Did Botan give you a replacement communication mirror?"

"Uh, yeah, she did," Yusuke said, rummaging in his pockets.

"Why don't you give Botan a call and ask her?" Kurama suggested.

"Sure." Yusuke pulled out a dark purple, compact-like item with three pink, curved, teardrop-like shapes on one side. He snapped it open and then stared at it for a second. "Uh…" He looked back up. "I dunno how to work this."

Hiding a smile, Kurama instructed, "Just say the name of the person that you wish to speak to, and it should connect you with them."

"Oh. Okay." Yusuke looked back down at the compact as Riko switched over to the arm of his couch and Kuwabara edged closer. "Botan."

The surface fogged slightly and then swirled – as if there was a tornado clearing the fog. When it was completely gone, a process that took several seconds, Botan's face appeared in the mirror, smiling brightly.

"Sorry it took me so long to answer. I was taking care of some business. What's up, Yusuke? How's the tournament going? Have you registered yet?"

"No, we're not even at the right place yet."

Kuwabara stuck his head into the picture. "Hi Botan!"

"Stop being annoying, Kuwabara. She's doesn't wanna talk to you."

"Shut up, Urameshi. You don't know that. Hi, Botan."

Botan's eyes widened at Yusuke's words and then narrowed in a smile at the sight of Kuwabara. "Hi, Kuwabara." To Yusuke, she said, "Really? But it's already been a few hours since you left. What've you been doing this whole time?"

"Well, currently, we're on a jet being flown to the tournament location." Yusuke paused and then added, "You wouldn't happen to know where that is, would you?"

Botan shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't. It's actually one of the seven great mysteries of the Spirit/Demon/Human Worlds. This tournament started about five hundred years ago, and no one except the committee itself has ever found out where exactly it takes place. Even the audience members have to be taken in secretly."

"Wow," Kuwabara said. "That's pretty extreme."

With an easy laugh, Botan said, "Be glad that you're fighting now and not a hundred years before. They used to carry all the contestants here unconscious." She shook her head, her eyes misting over. "Oh the memories… They had to knock them out of course, and since these were fighters, it was not a pretty sight…"

"…Just how old are you?"

Amidst the Botan rage, Riko grabbed the compact from Yusuke and held it in front of her face. "Hi, Botan. We had a question for you? How can someone be dead and yet still alive and talking?"

The question immediately sobered Botan up. "Why? What's going on?"

"We have an – interesting – guide. Kuwabara and Hiei and Kurama say that they can't feel any energy coming from her, but looks wise, she's fine."

"Very fine," Yusuke muttered under his breath.

"…I might not know her that well, but I'm still going to tell Keiko on you," Riko informed him.

Yusuke shut his mouth.

Riko turned her attention back to Botan. "So, do you know how someone could be dead, but alive?"

"I…" Botan hesitated and then shook her head. "I don't have a clue. Does Kurama know?"

Glancing at Kurama, Riko shook her head. "Nope. That's why we're calling."

Botan nodded, thinking. "Okay, well I can –"

The door from the cockpit slid open, and Yuuna appeared in the entranceway. "I'm back ~ Just wanted to let you all know that we're going to be landing soon!" She peered at the group, smiling brightly. "Do you have any more questions? Is there anything you need?"

Kurama glanced at the scene – Riko had snapped the compact shut and dropped it, landing a very square shot on a sensitive part of Yusuke's body, and the young man was now doubled over in pain, his cuss words flowing very freely – and then back at Yuuna. He gave her a smile.

"No, we're fine."

End of Chapter 26

* * *

><p>Please review. (^ - ^ Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.)<p> 


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: **I've finally actually kept my word about publishing on time! Hope you enjoy (and that I can keep this up. xD) Please make sure to let me know what you think, especially about power distribution.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 27

The building was situated behind a tall fountain that stood in the midst of what looked like the most perfect garden in the world. Behind the building the foliage thickened into a growth that could be called a forest.

The building itself was even more magnificent, split into three parts. The middle part was tower shaped, topped with a thick, hexagonal roof. The outer sections jutted out at an angle towards whoever might be walking towards the hotel from the front. Between the two sections and in front of the middle one was another building, one that resembled stairs but had double doors in the center bottom.

All of it was made or at least surfaced entirely with some shiny substance that shone spectacularly and reflected the group back perfectly as they walked in. It was split into very neat little sections with glass windows lined carefully down some of the sections, while others lacked them.

As they walked in, Riko glanced back and received a shock as she realized that she could see through the substance – it was a one-way mirror. Anyone inside the building could always see out, but no one outside could see in.

Guiding them carefully down the long hallway – mostly empty except for some interesting paintings – Yuuna pointed out different rooms and routes they might have to know.

"And this," Yuuna said, pushing herself into the room, "Is where we'll be doing registration." She waited for them to follow her in and get a good look at the room.

"Oh, no way. There's more? I thought that the preliminaries were over," Yusuke complained.

Yuuna cocked her head to the side. "Oh they are. This is registration," She explained as she walked up to the device. It resembled one of those strength-testing machines – with a toy hammer hung on one side – that were used in arcades or at carnivals. "This machine tests your spirit or demon energy. If you get higher than 120, then you'll automatically be registered – no hassle necessary." Yuuna stopped by it and then smiled back at them. "Of course if you don't get a score above 120, you'll be escorted out. And if one of your teammates can't do it, and you only have four…" She smiled brightly. "You'll be disqualified."

Very slowly, every eye in the group turned to Riko.

…_Oh fuck…_

"You have five minutes to prepare for the task. Try the machine if you want." Yuuna started to walk again. "I'll be right back ~" Her footsteps quickly faded.

…_Hopefully not,_ Riko thought and then switched her mind back to the real problem at hand – the energy measurer. She glanced at Kurama. "Any ideas?"

He had started to circle it and barely glanced up at her question, shaking his head slowly.

"Well, let's try the thing first at least," Yusuke snapped. He walked over and picked up the hammer. It was a good weight in his hands – not too light, but not way heavy either. Kurama paused his pacing to watch him. He got a good grip, poked the flat round ends once and then lifted it above his head and brought it back down.

A shrill _CLANG_ rang out into the air, causing everyone except Yusuke to cover their ears. The ring at the bottom shot straight up, hit the top with a _TING_ then came down again. Yusuke lifted his head to look at the scoreboard.

Flashing there in bright neon letters was the number: 187.

Grinning, Yusuke walked back and offered the hammer to the group at large. "Not bad. Who wants to go next?"

Snorting, Kuwabara snatched the hammer and walked forward. "Watch as I leave you in the dust, Urameshi." He hefted the hammer a few times and then lifted it and brought it smashing down on the target.

_CLANG – TING_ –

_163_

"Ohhhh," Yusuke crowed. "Who's leaving who in the dust now? What now, Kuwabara?" He did a little victory dance and then glanced at Riko, still grinning. "Hey, if Kuwabara can get that high, maybe you can actually get to 120."

"Shut up, Urameshi," Kuwabara snapped, staring at the machine. "I just wasn't warmed up, is all. Lemme get this –"

Kurama interrupted him. "Yes, Kuwabara, we know you're strong, but let's not waste our energy." He delicately took the hammer from Kurama, eyebrows lifting at the feel. _Is it the strength we put into it or our spirit energy?_ Kurama wondered.

He decided to test it, lowering the hammer with a light touch onto the target.

Instantly, Yusuke began to laugh. "What now, Kurama, you afraid of breaking it? Don't worry, I'm sure it can handle –"

_Clang – TING_

The ring had shot straight to the top at a speed that looked like it matched the speed that Yusuke and Kuwabara's blows had done. The number on the scoreboard flashed: 160.

Kurama smiled – his theory had been confirmed. Glancing back at the gape-jawed Yusuke, he explained, "This machine measures the amount of energy you possess – not the physical force that you put into a blow." He glanced at the machine again. He had suspected that he didn't have as much raw power as Yusuke or Kuwabara, but it was a little pride-blowing to have that confirmed.

Still, now wasn't the time to worry about such matters.

Turning around completely, Kurama looked at Riko and then Hiei. He offered the hammer to Hiei and then stepped aside to allow him to pass. "Riko, we'll test you after this. If you can reach it, than we have nothing to worry about. If not –" He hesitated, but before he could continue, Hiei had brought the hammer down with mild force.

The scoreboard now read: 179.

Immediately, Hiei's customary scowl became a lot deeper. He let the hammer go and stalked back to his original place, little flames of smoke almost literally coming off him.

"I'm stronger than Hiei, I'm stronger than Hiei ~" Yusuke began to chant as he started his dancing again, this time in a dangerous circle around a fuming Hiei.

Amused by the action, Kurama let him go on for a moment, and then motioned for Riko to try.

…_This is not going to end well…_

Sighing, Riko stepped forward and picked up the hammer from where Hiei had dropped it. She raised her eyebrows at the weight – it was heavy in her hands – and then walked over to the machine. She looked up at it – it was quite a bit taller than her. Then, she hoisted the hammer with both hands and tapped the target.

The blow ended up being a lot harder than what she had intended, gravity pulling her along faster.

The semi-loud _Clang!_ Was followed by a _Ting!_ And then the scoreboard showed –

…_Oh seriously? I can't even break 50?_ Riko stared at the 41 in something that was both disappointment and resignation.

There was a silence and then Yusuke let his arms drop. "Oh, we are screwed."

More silence followed as Riko turned her head and glanced at Kurama who shook his head, thinking. She turned back at stared at the scoreboard which was already fading. Her earrings glimmered in the light.

_If I use them – but if I do that – what a waste –_

"Hiei –" Kurama's voice brought Riko out of her contemplations and she glanced back at him again. He was talking to Hiei. "- Hold the hammer with Riko?"

Both of them stared at him. "Kurama, what –" Hiei began.

"I want to try something. Hit it together," Kurama interrupted. "Please, Hiei."

After a moment's hesitation and a glare directed Kurama's way, Hiei stepped up behind Riko and gripped the hammer in one hand. The hammer lightened in Riko's hold as Hiei took most of the weight. He made sure that he didn't touch Riko as they lifted together and then tapped down.

The scoreboard now read: 217.

"Nice," Yusuke said. "Too bad you can't do that while we're actually getting registered."

Kurama smiled.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Yusuke and Kuwabara went first in the registration, getting scores that were basically the same as their first ones, with Kuwabara's going up a few points.<p>

Riko went next.

She stepped up to the plate, very aware of Yuuna's eyes on her. She had recorded the scores on an electronic pad that she was carrying and was now waiting for her to go.

With a deep breath, Riko lifted the weapon and then brought it crashing down on the target.

As she did so, if one was observant, one might have observed a blurry patchy next to Riko that appeared just as she touched the target with the hammer and disappeared the next second. Of course, it was hard to see even for Kurama, who was expecting it, and Yuuna, who was not trained for this, missed it completely.

The score flashed out: 222.

"Very nice," Yuuna chirped as she recorded it. "That's one of the highest that we've seen so far. Congratulations."

…_Even her compliments irritate me,_ Riko thought as she turned around without acknowledging the praise and handed the hammer to Kurama. She walked until she was standing next to Kuwabara, who gave her a slight grin, then straightened his face again.

A few moments later, Kurama finished and handed off to Hiei, who silently walked up to the plate and swung. Yuuna nodded her approval at his passing grade and took a moment to finish adding some details to whatever she was writing.

After a moment, she nodded in satisfaction. "Alright! You've all been registered. Welcome to the Wadoshi Games." She tapped a button on her electron screen and a slot opened up in the side.

Five cards slid out, one after another. Yuuna caught them all and distributed them all, explaining as she did so, "These cards will be your access key to basically anywhere you need to go. You can use them to pay for foods or anything else that you might need."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I think you made a mistake here," Yusuke exclaimed, thrusting the card into Yuuna's face. He pointed at a particular part of the card. "What's this?"

Yuuna looked at it and then smiled. "Team leaders are the strongest member of the group." She handed the last two cards to Riko and Hiei.

They both looked down.

Each card had a picture of the respective person and then team information. And at the very top of team information were the words:

_Team Leader: Riko Isshi._

End of Chapter 27

* * *

><p>Please review (and especially tell me if the power numbers were weird or whatever. I do think that Yusuke is the strongest in raw power, but I'm not completely sure if I'm remembering write.)! Hope you enjoyed reading! (Leave me lots of yummy reviews ~ XD)<p> 


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: **Yeah, it's been a long time. I'm sorry. Life's been getting busy...blahblah, all the excuses. Anyways, love you guys, hope to have another one up...xD ASAP? Sometime in the next week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 28

"What the hell – I'm the freaking – honestly –"

"Should I say something snide?" Riko asked Kuwabara.

Kuwabara looked back at Yusuke, who was walking in the back terrorizing the hotel staff as he went by.

He was muttering obscenities to himself, the news of Riko's 'leadership' having tipped his bad mood over the edge. Kuwabara looked back at Riko and shook his head. "Nah. Let him mope." Under his breath, he muttered, "He's got reason to."

Riko's eyebrows rose. "What was that?"

"Well," Kuwabara said, a bit nervously. He was encouraged by the rather neutral expression on Riko's face and continued, "You have to admit. It's kinda embarrassing to have a girl leading us."

For a moment, Riko stared at him. Then, she asked, "Kuwabara, do you have a sister?"

"Uh..." Kuwabara looked slightly confused, but answered, "Yeah, why?"

In a perfectly calm voice, Riko took a few steps forward to walk almost in line with Kurama and called back to Kuwabara, "...I'm going to tell her you said that."

Very slowly, Kuwabara's eyes widened. "What? No - what? Wait - wait, wait, wait - Riko!"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Wait, where are you going?" Kuwabara asked as Riko started towards a white door on the far wall. "I thought we were going to have a team meeting."<p>

"Yeah, team leader," Yusuke quipped, still slightly irritated. "Where are you going?"

Glancing back at the two, Riko raised an eyebrow and said, "The bathroom."

No more questions followed after that.

After finishing her business, Riko washed her hands thoroughly and then surveyed the bathroom quickly. It had been made so clean that the tiles actually shone, and when Riko peered over them, she could see a vague reflection of her in the whiteness. Absently, she rubbed the tile and then proceeded back to the mirror, which was placed adjacent to the door and took a moment to inspect her face.

Her skin had gathered up quite a bit of dust from the day's events, and there was actually a smudge under her left cheek. _...Wow. Thanks for not telling me, guys..._ Riko shook her head and turned on the faucet, dipping her hands into the water and rubbing one damp finger under her cheek to get rid of the smudge. The finger left a clear tract through the dirty skin.

Grimacing, Riko turned her head to the side, looking for a towel.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurama watched Riko leave and then looked out the window as Yusuke and Kuwabara began to bicker about something. About fifty meters away, he could see a giant dome building, at least two hundred meters tall with a glass roof. It was the arena they'd be fighting in. He could feel that fact in his bones.<p>

Beyond that, there was about another hundred meters of forest area, and then, when he tried to look further, everything went blurry.

_...However they're blocking this place off, they're doing a good job,_ Kurama thought, frowning as he turned back to face the room.

It was a very pretty place, situated like a living room, with a TV on one end and sitting across from it a large wraparound couch with a small coffee table in front of that. On top of the coffee table was a basket of little snacks with some napkins artfully arranged around it. Right next to him, under the window, was an air conditioning/heating control-pad. The window itself stretched almost the entire of the room and went from floor to ceiling, with warm brown curtains to block out the sun.

Pulling them closed, Kurama went to join Kuwabara and Yusuke on the couch. Hiei remained standing a few meters away, arms crossed. He was listening - almost attentively - to Kuwabara and Yusuke talk.

Kuwabara was saying, "I'm telling you, Yusuke. I feel something."

"Oh yeah, yeah. There are probably hundreds of demons here. Of course you feel something," Yusuke snapped back. He reached forward and grabbed a Senbei cracker, crunching into it with a very noisy bite.

Scowling, Kuwabara growled back, "No. I mean something close by - something bad."

Yusuke said, around his cracker, "Yeah, and that tells us a lot." He swallowed. "Just relax, Kuwabara. There's nothing bad here."

After a raised eyebrow in Yusuke's direction, Kurama turned his attention back to Kuwabara. "You feel something?" He asked. "What is it?"

"I'm not quite sure, but it's like..." Kuwabara searched for a word. "Like something's stalking us." He looked at Kurama, eyes serious. "And it's not just the demons. There's something -"

He was cut off in the middle of his sentence by two things.

The first was a blossoming of energy very close to the group - demon energy. Kuwabara and Kurama both stiffened, while Hiei whipped around, sword unsheathed and Yusuke almost choked on another mouthful of cracker.

The second thing was a scream.

"Demon!" Came from within the bathroom, followed by a, "Someone, get in here now!" that was cut off mid-word by a very foreboding silence.

"Riko!" Kuwabara cried standing up. He and Yusuke reached the door at the same time and pounded on the door. "Dammit. It's locked! Riko, open the door!"

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," Yusuke snapped as he drew a fist back. "And for you, that's saying something!" His fist connected hard with the middle of the door, glowing faintly with spirit energy. The door exploded.

On the other side, Riko was leaning against the wall opposite the mirror. There were dark prints on her neck, as if someone had just been holding her by the neck and three visible puncture wounds on one side of her neck, blood welling up in each of them. Other than that and the slightly winded look on her face though, Riko looked relatively untouched.

The same could not be said of the demon against the far wall, opposite the door. He was lying half-on, half-off the toilet, his horned, green head slumped against the concrete wall, eyes rolled up into his head.

There were little pricks of wood - splinters from the door - that had stabbed through his emerald skin, leaving a myriad of bloody streaks. One of his hands - one that matched the marks on Riko's neck exactly - had been nearly torn off at the wrist and was now dangling onto the floor.

After a moment, Kuwabara announced, "I told you I felt something."

With a dirty glance at his 'friend', Yusuke surveyed the room more close. "Whoa," He said, with a whistle. "What happened here?"

Pushing herself off the wall with a grimace, Riko said, "Well, first, he came through the mirror." She stepped around the door fragments and Kuwabara to extricate herself from the bathroom. "And then," Riko continued as she started to dust herself off, "You blasted the door down."

Concerned, Kuwabara asked, "Did he attack you?"

At the same time, Kurama strode up to the mirror and asked, thoughtfully, "He came through the mirror?"

_...This is where I'm supposed to say 'I'm fine thanks,' but somehow, I can't work up the sarcasm._ Riko walked over to the coffee table, saying as she did so, "Yes, mirror. And yes, he attacked me." She paused as she picked up a napkin. "After I started screaming, though. So maybe, he was just peeking and got scared by the screaming." _...Never mind. I got the sarcasm._ With the napkin, she started dabbing at the blood on her neck.

"Are you okay?" Kuwabara asked, following her back into the living room.

Riko gave him a dry look.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Yusuke had walked more into the bathroom and was now hunkered over the green demon. "He's out," Yusuke announced after a moment. "What do you think he wanted?"<p>

"To kill us, obviously," Hiei snapped. He had followed Yusuke in, his sword still at the ready. "We should return the favor." He listed his sword.

Instantly, Yusuke shot out a hand, looking up at Hiei. "Wait, wait, wait. Maybe that's not it. Maybe Riko's right -"

"I was kidding," Riko called as she crumpled the napkin and tossed it into the trashcan.

Yusuke continued as if Riko hadn't said anything. "- So you shouldn't kill him under _after_ we find out what he's here for."

Pensively, Kurama said, "If he came through the mirror, then it's likely that he can either warp dimensions, which is unlikely since that's a high-level skill, and our demon was knocked out by an indirect blow from Yusuke."

"Hey, maybe, I'm just strong," Yusuke complained, all his chivalrous words from two seconds ago flying out the window. He was looking up at Kurama now, along with Hiei, while Kurama looked at the mirror.

Now it was Yusuke's turn to be ignored as Kurama continued talking, "Or, he could be an illusionist and has simply been here the entire time." He turned from the mirror to look at the demon –

He was gone.

After a moment, Kurama stated, in a tone much too neutral for the situation, "Oh dear."

Immediately, Yusuke and Hiei both turned around. Both their eyes widened, and then Yusuke began to cuss.

* * *

><p>Outside in the living room, Kuwabara suddenly stiffened.<p>

"What's wrong?" Riko asked, her skin starting to prickle.

"The demon's energy is gone," Kuwabara muttered as he stood up and stormed over to the bathroom. "Shorty, what the hell -"

Hiei's eyes flashed as he turned to meet Kuwabara's glare. "Don't you take that tone with me, hu -"

"It's not his fault," Kurama interrupted. "Hiei didn't do anything." His eyes flicked around the room for a long moment, but at last, Kurama let out a sigh. "I'm afraid our little demon friend got the slip on us."

Carefully, Kurama knelt down next to Yusuke and took another look over the bathroom. "Kuwabara, you don't sense the demon anymore?"

"I sense lots of demons," Kuwabara said, still glaring at Hiei. "But none that are really close right now."

With a nod, Kurama stood up. "Very well." He walked back into the living room, followed by the rest of the group. "I believe that we should set up some rules."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow as he collapsed onto the couch next to Riko and Kuwabara. "Rules?"

Again, Kurama nodded. "Yes." For a moment, his gaze shifted back to the bathroom. "As we've just seen, the Wadoshi Games are very dangerous, even off the battlefield. I don't think it would be safe for any of us to wander by ourselves." There was a pause as Kurama considered his next words. "Hiei, I know partnerships are not your style, but you know that even you might be in danger here." Hiei didn't acknowledge the threat, but he didn't protest either. Taking it as agreement, Kurama hurriedly continued, "So, I'd like you to remain with Yusuke 24/7. I will be doing the same with Kuwabara."

..._Hiei and Yusuke. Kuwabara and Kurama,_ Riko's eyebrows slowly raised. She leaned back on the couch, folded her arms and waited for someone else to bring up the problem.

Surprisingly enough, it was Hiei who spoke up. "That's all very well, Kurama." His voice was curt and grudging, almost sharp. "But what are you going to do about _her_?" Since she was the only female in the room, Hiei didn't even bother pointing at Riko.

Kurama smiled. "Don't worry. I have a plan." He turned to Yusuke. "Yusuke, the communication mirror?"

For a moment, Yusuke's face stayed blank. Then, the penny dropped. "Ohhh," He said, eyes lighting up. "You're going to call Botan here, aren't you?"

"That's right." Kurama took the device and flipped it open, waiting patiently for it to connect.

As he did so, Hiei stared at Kurama. _What is he thinking? He knows that Koenma's pet isn't strong enough to protect -_ His eyes darted to Riko. Knowing Kurama, he had a plot. What was it? Hiei was tempted to sneak a look into Kurama's mind, but before he could do so, Botan picked up, her high-pitched voice shattering Hiei's attempt at concentration.

"Hello to you, too, Botan. We'd like you to come down as soon as possible. To keep Riko safe. Yes, I understand, but I believe that if you brought your _friend_, you would be able to do it, correct?"

_...Friend?_ Hiei wondered.

"Thank you. I'll talk to the board and get your transportation arranged. Good-bye." He closed the compact and looked up, smiling.

Everyone was staring at him. "Alright, fess up," Yusuke ordered. "Who's Botan's 'friend'?"

Kurama handed the compact back to Yusuke. "Oh her?" He said, his tone innocent. "She's just an acquaintance of Botan's." He glanced at Hiei, the smile tugging at his lips again. "You might remember her. A demon by the name of Yukina?"

Very slowly, Hiei's eyes widened.

In the background, Kuwabara had jumped up. "Yukina's coming? Oh damn, I have to get ready." He rushed towards the bathroom, ignoring the wood dust.

Hiei stared at Kurama, who blinked at him with a bemused expression.

Yusuke started to laugh.

Riko looked at the bathroom, at Yusuke, and then at the expression on Kurama and Hiei's face.

"...So, uh...who's Yukina?"

End of Chapter 28

* * *

><p>Please review ~<p> 


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: **'Sometime in the next week'... Me and my big mouth. Well, it's here now, and it's rather long, so I hope you enjoy! Btw, just wondering (if anyone's still reading this, and I really hope you guys are!), but what do you guys think the pairing will be? Just curious to see how it's going ~ Please continue to stick with me!

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 29

"Yukina! Hey, how are you? How's it been? I've been fine. What about you? I'm Kuwabara, remember?"

The petite blue-haired demon's face broke into a lovely smile as she stepped forward to greet the bumbling idiot. "Of course I remember you, Kazuma. It's so nice to be able to see you again. I've been doing well."

_Funny,_ Riko thought, watching as Kuwabara's face slowly gathered color. _I never knew someone's skin could actually turn that shade of red._ She smiled at Botan and then Yukina, a bit more uncertainly. The demon didn't look very dangerous, but anyone whose mere mention could cause something like a temper tantrum from Hiei had to have something going for them.

In a sing-song voice, Botan said, "Riko ~" then ran forward and gave her a hug, which Riko returned a big gingerly. The other girl pulled Riko forward a few steps, so that they were right next to Yukina and Kuwabara. "Yukina, this is Riko. Riko, Yukina."

A bit awkwardly, Riko took Yukina's hand and bowed her head slightly while murmuring, "It's nice to meet you. Sorry to put you through this trouble."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Yukina replied, still smiling. "And it's not any trouble. I'm glad to be able to help repay Kazuma and the others for saving me." Her eyes flicked past Riko, and she smiled at Yusuke and Kurama. "Yusuke, Kurama, it's great to see you guys again." They returned greetings. Her eyes continued and then a puzzled expression crossed her face. "Oh but, where's Hiei?"

The question set Yusuke off – he had been laughing for most of the afternoon since Kurama had sent the call, and though it was now rather late, it didn't seem as if he had lost any steam.

"He's a bit preoccupied at the moment," Kurama said over him.

"Oh, that's too bad," Yukina said. "I was hoping to thank him again, too."

"I'm sure that we'll see him later." Kurama lifted a hand to cover his mouth.

"And besides," Kuwabara said, stepping in next to Yukina as she started towards the hotel elevator. A young man with a navy and gold cap was carting a load of luggage up behind them. "Hiei really didn't do all that much. I mean, he was just being a violent jerk…" The words got quieter as they neared the elevator.

Botan beamed after them. "Aw, aren't they cute together?" She shook her head. "If only Hiei was here to see this."

Through his chuckles, Yusuke gasped, "Oh yeah, if only he were here. It would kill him."

Riko blinked at them and then looked at the doors closing on Kuwabara and Yukina. "Okay. I'm…really confused here. Did Yukina and Hiei have a thing going or something?"

Yusuke snorted. "Oh man, did they ever!"

"Wow. Hiei actually had a relationship?" Riko glanced at the elevators again. "Yukina is amazing."

"She is indeed," Kurama confirmed, nodding his head. "I believe that as of currently, she's the only one who can make Hiei run away on cue."

A blade appeared at the skin of Kurama's throat. "Keep spreading lies about me, Kurama, and we'll see how that tongue of yours functions as a noose," Hiei snapped. He held his blade there for another moment to make a point, glaring as Kurama held up his hands in surrender.

_Lies…_ "…So if that's a lie and if you didn't have a thing with Yukina and you aren't the jealous ex, then… why are you avoiding Yukina?" Riko asked.

"Well," Botan put in, "That's actually all very simple. You see, Yukina is actually –"

The blade switched targets. "The same goes for you, Koenma's pet. Talk and I will hurt you."

Botan squeaked.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Welcome everyone to the exclusive Wadoshi Games. This year, I, Koto, will be your host!" The auburn haired fox girl waved at the crowds and gave a little bow. "I hope that you're all ready for some skilled fighters to strut their stuff." And then, in a faster and much more mechanic voice, "Refreshments can be ordered at any time during the fights. If you wish to move around or get a closer look at the arena, please do so now. Glass barriers will be going up in a moment to ensure your safety."<p>

…_Glass barriers?_ Riko stared at the demon and then up at the crowds. To her surprise, she saw quite a few suits and silk dresses – definitely not classic wear to a fight. She edged a bit closer to Yusuke, leaned in and whispered, "What's going on here? Why does everyone look so posh?"

"I was about to ask you that," Yusuke hissed back.

Next to them, Kurama murmured, "The Wadoshi Games are the entertainment of the rich. Tickets cost much more than the average worker could ever make in six months, so only the wealthy attend these games." His eyes flicked upwards. "Well, unless the hosts are feeling generous."

They were currently standing at the edge of a large arena, in a gap between the front row seats and the fighting stage. They were separated from it by a pure red rope with gold posts holding it up. Near them were other groups of demons, with enough distance between each that soft whispering couldn't carry unless one had enhanced hearing.

Behind them and all around were rows upon rows of high-class looking humans and demons, dressed in expensive-looking outfits and being served by pretty waitresses. They looked almost as if they were sitting down for a classy dinner instead of a demon fight. Among them was a small group of girls – Botan and Yukina, along with Keiko and Shizuru, who had been flown in early that morning. They waved at Riko, who waved back absently.

Above the main audience there were several tiers of standing room only seats with demons who looked much more savage than the general population in the gathering. They were chattering loudly, eating cheap food and drink and yelling at the contestants or staring up at the glass dome that covered the space above their heads.

A soft whirring made Riko turn her head. Behind them, the glass barriers that were meant to protect the spectators were going up. Riko's eyes locked with a rich young man for a moment. He lifted his glass to toast her, "Good luck, human girl," and then downed it as the glass barrier continued on its way.

Slowly, Riko turned back to the main arena. "I'm starting to get a really sexist/humanist feel here," She commented mildly. Her hands had flown automatically to her earrings, and she was now tugging them lightly, ignoring the mild itch that it caused on her lobes.

"Well, you are one of –" Yusuke paused and looked around, counting on his fingers, "- Four girls in a group of over a hundred fighters, so yeah. Oh, and the only human girl. Though, given your healing powers, I'm not quite sure you qualify as human."

Riko gave him a semi-glare and turned her attention back to Koto, who was finishing her statement about general rules – basically, don't hurt the spectators, but other than that, anything went.

"Why do you think they have us all gathered here?" Kuwabara asked, stepping closer to the others and shivering slightly. "Cause I'm not getting a good vibe from them."

Hiei, who was standing next to Kurama with his arms crossed in his standard position, glanced at his eternal enemy and humphed sarcastically, "Maybe they're planning on throwing us into a blender and having us for their dinner."

Kuwabara glowered at him. "Hey, you never know –"

"And now, we will begin the Sponsor Event!" Koto cried.

…_The what?_

Koto continued in her loud, dramatic voice, "As many of you know, Wadoshi Games is not only a tournament, but also a great way to make your fortune." She cleared her throat for effect and then whipped out a set of cue cards.

_Cue cards. I can't decide if those make her more cheesy or more official-looking._

"We have here with us today exactly 29 teams and over five hundred audience members willing to participate in this game. In just a moment, we will give a brief description of each team's benefits and weaknesses, and then, you, our lovely audience, will pick a team to support. There is only allowed to be five sponsors per team – one per person – and they will be decided by whoever casts the highest bids."

"Highest bids?" Riko heard Yusuke murmur. "What are we, sheep?"

"The team that wins their sponsor the most money and is still alive at the end of the tournament," Koto winked at the crowd and milling fighters, "Will earn a cash prize that will make you cry in excitement!" She took a step back as a giant globular TV descended from the ceiling. "And now, to take a look at our contestants."

"Okay, this just took a really weird turn," Yusuke said, turning to Kurama. "What's going on?"

Kurama was staring up at the screen. In his most level voice, he replied, "I believe that we're about to be auctioned off." He lowered his head and gazed at the spectators, his eyes flicking over the expanse of demons and humans. "I take it that this is meant when they say that their tournament has more than one facet."

Irritation flooded through Riko's body as a chirpy voice sang, "That's right ~" She didn't even have to turn her head to know that Yuuna was standing behind her.

She wasn't alone. 28 other 'guides' were making their way to their groups, getting ready for something, it seemed.

Kurama smiled at Yuuna, though the smile was tight and not very real-looking, then turned his head slightly to whisper unseen into Kuwabara's ear, "Do you get the same feeling from the others as you do from her?"

Shifting his eyes slowly from side to side, Kuwabara finally shook his head and hissed back, "No. They're all alive."

"What are you doing here?" Yusuke asked, staring at the orange-haired girl.

Yuuna smiled, and Riko had to very carefully tug on one earlobe to prevent herself from punching the dead girl. "I'm here," She said as she walked past the group, "To introduce you." She hopped up onto the stage, gave them a little wave, and then walked to the center, where the other guides were convening around Koto.

After another brief moment of blabbing, Koto reluctantly handed the microphone off to a tall, black-haired woman with deep green eyes. An image flashed onto the screen of five demons, the image rotating slowly so that all sides could see all the people as the woman began to speak, "Number 427, Team Uratogi – consists of five demons, Makintaro, Kuro Momotaro –"

She continued as the audience began to note names and numbers, listing weak points, strong points, and reasons to choose Team Uratogi as their team.

For a long moment, the entire team just stared at the screen, speechless. Finally, Yusuke broke the silence with a, "I'm sorry, but what the hell is the point of this shit?"

"To make money?" Hiei folded his arms more firmly, and his scowl grew more pronounced. "Do these greedy pigs ever want anything else?"

"Alright, then, what's with this advertising?" Yusuke asked, looking up at the pictures flashing across the screen. "I don't remember giving my permission for something like this, and I sure as hell don't wanna get auctioned off. Can't we opt out of this?" He looked at Kurama.

"Unfortunately, I don't believe that that'll be possible – or favorable." Kurama took a small step back to get a better look at the arena and then continued, "For example, whoever picks us will want us to win so they can make money off us, so they will most likely provide gifts and pull strings in order to obtain victory. It would be to our advantage to put up with this and get what we can from it."

With a sigh, Yusuke looked back at the screen in time to see it change pictures from Team Uratogi to a picture of their team. "Whoa. When did they take that?"

Yuuna now took the mike, her voice getting louder and much more advertisement-like as she belted out, "Team Urameshi, number 316, consists of Yusuke Urameshi, the team's namesake, Kazuma Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama, and Riko Isshi."

The picture changed to one of Yusuke. "Yusuke Urameshi is a spirit detective and controls his energy in the form of bullets –"

"What? What the hell? How did she know that?"

Shaking his head, Kurama said nothing, though his slight frown deepened.

"- And has defeated numerous powerful demons, such as the Four Saint Beasts and Rando." Yuuna paused to ride out the flurry of boos and then continued just as cheerfully. "While this may make him an enemy to demons in general, it also makes him a perfect candidate of a flawless team to vote for." She smiled and paused for a moment as the picture changed, this time to one of Kuwabara.

"Kazuma Kuwabara – another human. Not as distinguished as Urameshi –"

Immediately, Kuwabara shot up in indignation. "What? I'm a million times more distinguished than Urameshi!"

Ignoring the noise, Yuuna continued, "But well known for his sharp spirit senses and his clever spirit sword twists, which make him a good second-man to Urameshi's first."

"Second-man?" Kuwabara roared.

"Kuwabara, chill," Yusuke snapped. "You know it's true."

"What?"

"Next up we have Kurama!" A picture of Kurama with his whip in a graceful spiral around him merged onto the scream, causing a series of screams from the standing-room only tiers from above. "The resident pretty boy in the Urameshi team and a skilled fighter to boot. This lovely demon –" Kurama's eyebrows were coming together in a very sharp frown now. "- has cut through many an enemy with his beautiful Rose Whip maneuver."

'_Beautiful Rose Whip maneuver'…_ Riko turned her head away. _I think I'm going to vomit._

When she turned back, the rotating picture on the screen had changed again, this time to a shot of Hiei, scowling. _Oh, that's something very new, _Riko thought wryly.

"Hiei the Speed Demon. No one can match this demon in either swordsmanship or lightning fast moves that will have his opponent dead in a matter of heartbeats! As far as anyone knows, in recent years the only ones who have walked away alive from an encounter with this demon is Urameshi himself."

Hiei humphed, but there was a faintly mixed pleased-irritated look on his face as the picture swirled again to a shot of Riko.

"And last, but certainly not least –"

"Ha," Hiei muttered.

Riko's eyes flicked to him and then back to Yuuna.

"We have Riko Isshi, the only human female in this entire tournament. But don't go thinking that she can't pull her own weight. Under those cute little eyes are some very dark talents. Riko Isshi, ladies and gentleman – the true form of infamous thief Keun." The picture flashed again, this time to one of Keun, covered with lines of darkness that writhed over her form. There was blood on her skin, but it was pale gold – clearly not her own blood.

_Oh fuck._

The obscenity echoed in Riko's head as Yusuke and Kuwabara turned to look at her in confusion – they didn't know who she was. Kurama and Hiei were staring at her, Kurama's look especially worried.

_How do they know?_ Followed by _I seen a lot of angry demons in my future. Why did I have to pick to steal from demons?_

Her eyes slowly locked in on Yuuna, who was passing on the microphone. The other girl tilted her head slightly and caught Riko's gaze. For a moment, everything else froze, and Riko could only see her gold-orange stare, only hear the sound of silence where there should have been a heartbeat.

And then Yuuna gave her a smile – sweet, lovely, angelic.

_Oh fuck._

__End of Chapter 29

* * *

><p>Please review (and love you if you've stuck with me for so long!)<p> 


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N**: Yay ~ A chapter in less then a week! xD I have the next one coming. (Promise. Though, watching Big Bang Theory is surprisingly detrimental to my progress.)

Also, just FYI, but this first team is not canon. It's original. Hope you enjoy them in chapters to come (hopefully to come soon...)

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 30

Silence would not have been a good word to describe the proceedings in the glass arena. The humans and demons had all started talking as the pictures had gone up and while a brief silence had come up when the picture of Keun had appeared, it had quickly exploded into chatter.

"Is that really –"

"Keun? Did she say Keun?"

"That bitch."

"Keun? Thief? What the hell, Riko?"

The last words came from Yusuke and were quickly backed up by an indignant, "Yeah, what's this?" from Kuwabara, who was staring at Riko in disbelief.

_Oh fuck,_ Riko thought again. And then, in a moment of idiotic indignation of her own: _It's treasure hunter. Not thief. I've stolen like twice. If you're gonna report it, you should at least get your facts straight._

She shook her head and opened her mouth to say, "Uh…_well_…"

Hiei snorted, and when Riko glanced at him, she saw that his holier-than-thou (_Or, in his case, eviler-than-thou_, Riko amended) smirk had taken over his face. "Well," He said, tone mockingly thoughtful. "This should be interesting."

…_Remember Riko. Even if you punch him, it's gonna hurt you a lot more than it hurts him._ Riko shook her head and looked back at Yusuke and Kuwabara, who were still staring expectantly. Her eyes flicked to Kurama for a moment, who was staring at Yuuna, his eyes flickering back and forth in a way that suggested that his mind was working at high speed.

Before she could actually get anything else out, there was a sharp tapping noise and an "Excuse me? Miss?" that made her glance back.

The young man who had toasted her from before was now looking at her again, this time with a much hungrier look. "Are you really Keun?" All around him, people were turning around at the sound of his voice, spotting Riko and then starting to talk to associates, partners or subordinates standing at their shoulders.

Riko stared at the man. He was in his mid-thirties by the looks of it and dressed in a very subtly-cut black suit with matching pants, shoes and a shirt just as black. Even his tie was a shade of the darkest jet black, with a light sheen to it that made it appear lighter than it was. His features were well chiseled, and his eyes were a shade between icy blue and sky blue. There was not a trace of white in his hair, which was cut and styled medium-short and a deep brown-black color.

_Interesting. If he were about fifteen years younger, I might try to hook up with him._ Riko paused that line of thought. _If he weren't about to either a) kill me for borrowing something of his or b) try to buy me like a mule._ With those thoughts running through her head, Riko said, "No," and then turned back around. To Kuwabara and Yusuke, she said, "I'll explain to you guys later," in a very quiet, hushed voice. "Please," She added. "Later."

"What's the point?" Hiei asked, voice purposely cutting. "Everyone here knows already."

"…Breathe, Riko, breathe. Control is the key," Riko muttered under her breath.

"And now the famous thief is talking under her breath."

_Punch him, Riko, punch him hard._

There was another knock before Riko could fulfill her desires. "Miss?"

"The name is Riko," Riko snapped. She bit the inside of her cheek. _Great. Now I'm snapping at random people. Between that stinking demon and that stinking dead thing, I'm gonna kill something…_

A pause ensued. And then, a lighter knock. "Miss Riko? If you really are Keun, then I'm willing to bet on your team, and I assure you that my help will be vital for your survival in this game." The man in black leaned forward very slightly, but then leaned back again, feigning contempt. It was never good to allow a fighter to think that they were worth as much as they actually were. "If you're not interested of course, do let me know."

_Condescending businessmen. Lovely._

Softly, Kurama whispered, "Riko?" and waited until she glanced at him before continuing on, keeping his voice at a level that made it hard for even the rest of their group to hear, "Are you alright?"

After a brief shake of the head, Riko nodded. She breathed out and turned to glance at the man behind her, saying "I don't care what you do," in a rather curt tone before turning back to face the stage. The introductions were starting to wind down now, with only six or seven groups left to be presented to the crowd. The hootings of the less refined crowds up higher were getting stronger.

Yusuke, who had looked on in bemusement as the situation unfolded, now broke in with a, "Shouldn't you be politer in case he's our sponsor?"

"There's no point. If he bets on us, then he'll want us to win, and he'll give us stuff regardless of how nice I am to him."

The man behind her smiled coldly and pulled a cellphone from his pocket. "Not necessarily," He said idly, as he typed in a number. "Just because I bet on you doesn't mean that I'm betting on you to _win_." He smiled viciously at the group. "I could bet on you to be the group that's killed the first. This is a blood game after all."

Riko's eyes slowly widened. _What a basta- _She cut off the thought mid-stream and breathed again, and then opened her eyes and caught Kurama's. He raised his eyebrows very slightly and then flicked his eyes back. Making an irritated face, Riko nodded, smoothing her expression out before she turned to look at the man again.

He was now holding the phone to his ear, the playfully icy smile still on his face. It made him look both older and younger at the same time, cold and very dark. "Ready to talk?" He asked.

In her best lady voice, Riko asked, "What would you like to talk about?" She ignored the gazes and whispers of the other well-dressed people around the man. Though the arena seats were not very crowded – the rich liked their privacy – there were enough people within earshot to make her uncomfortable with talking about anything. Still. She wasn't going to be the one that got her team killed.

Behind her, she heard someone say, "The second-to-last group, Team Hoshin!"

With his phone still next to his ear, the man leaned forward, his eyes catching the light from the glass dome and turning even paler. "I only have one question for you." He paused and then leaned back again, pulling the phone closer. "Oh, hold on. Jirou? Yes, it's me. You should come down sometime. Yes, I have. Very well. I'll see you later." He snapped the phone shut and then turned his attention back to Riko, who was watching him with a semi-bemused-semi-irritated expression. It smoothed as the glint returned to the man's eyes. "Now, my question." He leaned forward again. "Are you really Keun?"

For a moment, Riko's eyes flickered away from her potential benefactor and to the sides, where she could almost taste the hungry – or sometimes angry – stares of the other wealthy patrons. _Steady._ She returned her eyes back to the man sitting in front of her, with that cold, smug expression. _I'd really like to hit him,_ She thought calmly, and then answered, in a similar tone aloud, "I am."

The smile slowly spread. "Very good. I'll enjoy business with you then, Miss…" He paused for a moment. "Miss Riko." He leaned back again. "My name is Uehara. Look for that later."

A soft feedback noise interrupted anything vulgar that Riko could have thought and made her whirl to face the field again as it grew in volume.

"Ah, we apologize for the feedback ladies and gentleman," Koto said, as she regained control of the mike and the noise died down. A bright smile flashed across her face as she threw her arm out to the side, striking an energetic pose. "And we hope you enjoyed the introductions. We will begin the sponsorship now. Please call the above number to place your bid now!" On the revolving screen, a string of numbers appeared in brilliant blue.

A rush of slightly muffled clicks and dialing noises filled the arena as Riko let out a sigh.

"So," Yusuke said.

Riko looked at him. "So," She said back, lifting her voice at the end of the syllable.

"So," Kuwabara repeated.

Riko turned her head. "So," She said again, this time lowering her intonation.

"Shut up," Hiei snapped.

Three sets of heads turned to glare at him while Kurama stifled a chuckle. His smile quickly faded though as the phone number on the screen was replaced with a large chart. The names of the teams were listed on one side and there were five other columns, numbered from one to five. In the intersections between the names and the numbers, surnames appeared. Below each, in slightly smaller font, was a number preceded by a yen sign. The names and numbers changed almost constantly, but a few remained almost constant.

_Interesting_, Kurama thought as his eyes flicked over the screen. _Numbers one through five – because each group is only allowed to have five sponsors. Person with the highest bid so far in the number one position and so on from there. _He ran down the list until he hit 'Team Urameshi'.

In first place was the name 'Uehara'. Underneath it was a yen sign followed by a one and nine zeroes.

From beside him, Kurama heard Kuwabara whistle. "Wow, that guy is rich."

The numbers and names continued to change for another minute, but finally, the switching slowed and then stopped. No one wished to lose anymore money than what was already on the board.

Uehara's name was still in first place next to 'Team Urameshi'.

"Any last bets?" Koto's voice rang out like a siren over the crowd. "No? Well then, ladies and gentlemen, we have our sponsors!" She grinned viciously and raised her voice. "Let the tournament begin!"

There was an eruption of cheering from the upper crowds and quite of bit of bloodlust spilling from the lower as well.

Koto waited until the cheering had died down slightly and then announced, "First up, we will have…" She stuck her hand into a bag that one of the guides had brought her and rummaged around in it dramatically for a second before drawing out two slips of paper, holding them in front of her eyes. "Team Azura!" She cried. "And…" She nimbly flicked the first sheet behind the second and holding the second up, finished, "Team Urameshi!"

"Of course we'd be first," Yusuke muttered with a resigned sigh. He shot a look at Riko. "Don't think you're off the hook. Once we finish creaming whoever our opponent is, you're gonna spill."

"Yeah, I already said that I would," Riko said back, her tone just a touch away from being a snap. "Come on," she muttered as she stepped forward. All around her, the other groups were streaming away, leaving the arena stage until it was their turn to be spotlighted on it.

The guides followed them. Yuuna paused a distance from the group, smiling at all of them cheerfully and wishing them a hearty, "Good luck."

_I like how she said that from a distance,_ Riko thought, shaking her head.

From behind her, another 'good luck' registered in Riko's mind, this one much lower in tenor.

She tilted her back slightly to see Uehara taking another sip from his wineglass, and then faced forward, took another step and then paused, recalling her foot. Riko turned to look expectantly at Yusuke.

"What?" Yusuke asked, mildly unnerved. He looked down at his feet and then back up at her. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not allowed to go first."

"Really?" Yusuke asked, a note of exasperation entering his voice. "We just found out that you're some crazy thief person that apparently everyone but us knew about, and you still can't be the first or last person in our group? Really?"

"Yes," Riko replied bluntly. "Please walk forward."

With a much exaggerated eye-roll, Yusuke did so. He was accompanied by Hiei and then followed by Riko and Kurama, with Kuwabara just a step behind.

Yusuke took the four foot jump to the actual stage, on which the fight was going to take place and on which Koto was standing in the middle of, very gracefully, without even use of his hands. Hiei followed suit, with Kurama right behind him.

Riko looked at it for a moment, Kuwabara just behind her.

"You want me to lift you?" Kuwabara asked after a second.

After sending him a raised-eyebrow look, Riko placed her hands on the platform and with a quick motion hoisted herself up, swinging her legs up after her body and quickly getting to her feet. She flicked at the dust on her combat spandex and then followed Kurama.

In the middle, Koto was already explaining the rules to the other team, a group of very humanoid-looking persons. One glance back at Kuwabara though, confirmed Riko's suspicions that, like most of the people in the stadium, they were demons.

"Best of five fights win. Are those rules acceptable?" Koto asked as she finished her spheal. She looked from side to side at the two groups.

"Yeah, yeah," Yusuke snapped, cracking his knuckles. "They're fine."

"We're good with them as well," A representative from the other team said.

"Alright!" Koto skipped back several feet and then threw up the hand not holding on to the microphone. "Teams, send out your first fighters!"

Glancing back, Yusuke asked, "Who wants to go first?"

Behind him, Koto cried, "Who are our first combatants going to be? Does the crowd have any preferences?" She lifted a hand to cup her ear, almost comically and asked, "Well?"

The upper stands went crazy, names being thrown all over the place. It was hard to understand any of it, but gradually, one name started to stand out among the rest:

"Send out Keun! Send out Keun! Send out Keun!"

"And the crowd knows what it wants!" Koto shouted. She turned to look at Team Urameshi. "Well guys? You gonna give the crowd some love?"

_Stupid fox…_ Riko thought as she stepped forward and unfastened her earrings from her ears.

"Riko?" Kurama asked, softly. "Are you sure?"

Riko gripped one earring in her left fist, while she took the other with her right hand and sliced it down her arm. A hush fell over the stadium as blood slowly began to run down Riko's skin.

A small, tight grin spread over Riko's face.

"Oh yeah. I'm sure."

End of Chapter 30

* * *

><p>Thoughtful reviews are always awesome. (And as a side note, I love Big Bang Theory.) Hope to hear from you guys ~<p> 


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: **So I decided that instead of putting up a schedule that totally fails, I'm just going to post the date of my next update in my current update.

**Published: **3/30/12

**Next Update Day**: Sunday, April 1st, 2012 (Oh what a day...xD And no, this is not an April Fool's joke.)

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 31

"And Keun has accepted the challenge from the crowd! If this infamous thief is anything like the stories say she is, well then, ladies and gentlemen, we are in for a treat!" Koto looked over at the other team, who was starting to glower at the amount of attention Riko was receiving. "Team Azura, please send out your first fighter, and get this party started!"

'_Get this party started'…_ Riko almost shook her head with disapproval and ran the edge of the earring along the blood, pushing a strand of spirit energy with the blood. The leaf's silver and black edges were starting to glow slightly.

A demon from the other side stepped forward. Everything about him was very human-looking – almost handsome with a strong, tall figure, wavy, thick blonde hair down to the middle of his back and smooth, dusky skin – except for the number of eyes. Rather than the normal two, this demon only had one in the center of his forehead, large and glowering red. His mouth opened to show sharp fangs –

"No."

Riko paused in the middle of what she was doing – slicing herself across the left arm with the other earring – and looked towards the sound.

Another demon had put a hand out in front of the first. He was much shorter than the blonde and much less dangerous looking. His hair was black and unkempt, almost long enough to cover his pale, crazy-looking silver eyes. To go along with the eyes was a silver trench coat with a plastic sheen that went down to his ankles and was put on backwards, creating an awkwardly insane effect.

The first demon looked at the second. "Hijoshi, what –"

"I want this fight, Katame." He stepped forward in front of Katame and stretched his arms, the strange fabric making a squeaky noise as he did so.

For a moment, Riko, who was watching with interest, was sure that the one-eyed, blonde Katame was going to rip the diminutive Hijoshi into shreds, but after just a moment of hesitation, Katame took a step back, retreating back into the folds of his group. Together, they left the stage.

Behind her, Riko could hear muffled arguing among the group that eventually faded, leaving her fairly certain that they had left the stage as well. _I bet Hiei's complaining about letting me fight,_ She thought, a mild grimace flashing across her face.

Koto hopped back another few feet. "From Team Azura, we have Hijoshi, often referred to as the Crazy Killer. Let's hope we find out why!" She winked at the audience and then turned back to the two in the center stage. "Are both contestants ready?"

Hurriedly, Riko covered the other leaf earring's edges in blood, making both the silver and the black half light up with a deep glow. She placed one earring on the back of each hand, concentrating hard now. Purple fire bubbled around the edges, then sank into the middle of the leaves. They stuck on the back of her hands as if glued, glowing between black and faint red-silver. Riko lifted her head to nod at Koto, who had already received confirmation from Hijoshi.

"Begin!"

As the word left Koto's mouth, Riko pushed a last burst of power into the leaves. She had time to see the leaves pulse once, strong and grow just a bit –

_WHAM –_

It felt like every bone in Riko's body had been smashed to tiny shards, both by the intense force of Hijoshi's demon energy and by the extremely unyielding glass wall that protected the audience members. Her face was twisted in pain as she slowly slid to the ground.

A collective gasp overtook the audience, who began to whisper and talk. Boos began to rise, and in the background of everything, Riko could hear Koto saying, "Could it be that all the stories about Keun were just made up? The infamous thief has been taken out with one crushing blow from Hijoshi, so fast that I didn't even see it." She hopped off the stadium rim and ran over to Keun, pausing to examine her and then beginning her count, "One…two…you only have ten seconds, Keun!"

"Riko! Riko, are you –"

"Kuwabara, you cannot! You are not allowed to interfere."

_Kurama,_ Riko thought, dazedly. _Always such a rule-follower. Not at all how I imagined him, but then, stories never convey the real life of someone. Speaking of which…_ Riko struggled to rise, but pain racked her body.

"Not even two seconds. Man. That guy is dangerous." It was Yusuke's voice, oddly distant and out of focus to Riko's strained ears.

A snort. It almost made Riko smile. Definitely Hiei. There was no doubt to that. The words that followed only confirmed her suspicions: "Dangerous to inexperienced fighters certainly. I'm sure that Kurama and I will be able to take him down easily." And then another snort. "Didn't even last two seconds. How pathetic."

It was almost enough to make her get up again. Almost.

_Wow, it hurts…_

"Seven…eight…only two to go! Is this how the great Keun gets taken down?"

The booing was getting louder now, shouts and screams for her to get up, to get on her feet –

Shock and pain ran through Riko again as thin, bony hands slid under her and lifted her up from the ground. Through her blurry vision, she could see a shadow above her.

_Princess style, _Riko's mind produced. _Interesting._ And then, _What the hell am I thinking about?_ Followed by a struggle for concentration and a burst of spirit energy that trickled down her arms and slipped into the earrings, making them pulse colorlessly.

_Time. I need -_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"What is he doing?" Kuwabara asked, his voice squeaking up to nervous tension.<p>

Kurama shook his head. He had heard of Hijoshi before, but only as a general name. There were no specifics about his fighting style or his reputation – other then that it was bad – that could give him any aid in this situation. Turning, he raised an eyebrow at Hiei.

Very slowly, Hiei shook his head.

"What's this?" Koto's voice had risen another level on the drama scale. "Keun's opponent himself has just saved her from being disqualified. Is the enigmatic 'Crazy Killer' Hijoshi about to show us how he got his name?"

Distantly, Yusuke could just make out Hijoshi's slightly raspy voice say, "I am, indeed." A cold chill ran down his back, and he dimly realized that he had clenched his fists. He watched, in much the same nervous tension that had been running through Kuwabara's voice, as Hijoshi very carefully placed Riko in the middle of the arena and lifted his hand.

White fire snaked from it.

_White, _Kurama thought and shook his head. _Irony at it's best…_

It curled itself around Riko's legs, keeping her from crumbling when Hijoshi let go of her. There was a moment's pause as the fire severed itself from Hijoshi's palms and wound itself more neatly around Riko, and then Hijoshi summoned another small flame in the center of his palm. It was still white, but with just a tint of something darker in the middle, as if a drop of ink had been placed in the center of the mass.

Very, very slowly, he pushed his hand out. A strand of the fire hissed forward until it was right up against Riko's neck. The crowd was dead silent.

The fire licked the base of Riko's neck.

No visible change came over Riko, and for a moment, Yusuke wondered if maybe the demon was just posing, if maybe he was actually too weak –

Riko shrieked, and the sound was so shrill that Yusuke half-expected the glass to crack.

It didn't.

"What the hell?" Without even meaning to, Yusuke felt himself striding forward, closer to the arena stage. "Oi, freak, what the hell are you doing?" His spirit energy started to gather itself around him, and he made as if to clamber onto the platform.

Koto was in front of him in an instant, and Hijoshi stopped what he was doing – which was pulling his flame back into the main mass – to watch the spectacle. The fox announcer put a hand out as if she thought that that would stop the detective. "No one is allowed on the stage except for the current fighter, unless you want to be disqualified."

Yusuke stared up at her, slack-jawed. "What the hell? You're going to disqualify me? Do you see what that bastard is doing?"

With a shrug, the fox demon replied, "It's perfectly legal. You agreed to it when you signed up."

Yusuke's jaw dropped further. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He pointed at Riko. "Look at her! She's obviously lost. Why the fuck are letting this fight continue?"

Indignantly, Koto said, "She hasn't lost." When Yusuke continued to stare at her, Koto sighed and recited, "A fighter can only be deemed as the loser if he (or, in this case, 'she') has been out of the ring or down for a count of more than ten seconds or dead." With a matter-of-fact air, she pointed back at Riko. "She is neither dead nor did she stay down for long enough. Look, she's standing right now."

"_She's being held up!_" Yusuke yelled.

There was a crackly buzz that cut Koto off another speech, and a deep voice issued from unplaceable loudspeakers, "Enough. Yusuke Urameshi, if you continue to argue with the judge, your entire team will be disqualified, and you will be ejected from the area immediately. Return to your team at once. Ms. Koto, continue the fight."

Koto saluted the sky and darted off.

A hand touched Yusuke's shoulder. Through roiling irritation and anger, Yusuke managed to make out Kurama's soft voice as it told him, "Yusuke, we really shouldn't fight this. Riko… I'm sure that you can find a way out of this." His voice went softer, as he turned to watch Riko. "_I'm sure._"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Riko knew instinctively that the white fire coming towards her was bad. She could feel the power and tried to move away, but the other fire around her legs was holding her in place, only allowing her upper body to move. It hovered near her for a moment, right next to her collarbone, at the base of her neck, and she could nearly taste the darkness hidden in its deceivingly white flames.<p>

_Dammit,_ Riko thought. _Why didn't I ever learn how to put up barriers?_ She leaned back as far as she could to buy herself time. Whatever the flame was going to do to her, it would probably break her concentration, and breaking her concentration would stop the flow of power that she was feeding to her earrings.

Normally, she would have finished powering up her treasures in such a time, but the pain from impact and the natural tendency her body had to divert some of her power to ease her own hurts, was slowing the process. It was helped by the fact that no bones had actually been broken, but internal bruising had occurred all over organs.

_Just a bit more…_ Riko thought, leaning her head back further.

She couldn't avoid it.

The flame reached forward and touched Riko's neck, just at her left was a gentle touch, not even hard enough to leave a red mark.

What it did do was send a tiny trickle of flame into Riko's skin, where it entered into the left collarbone and started to bounce. At first the motions were a soft buzzing, but in less than a second, they had worked their way up to a shattering attack that quickly snapped the bone in half.

All rational thought left Riko's mind, and all that she could think to do was scream – scream at the pain that seemed to be unbearably strong. Some small part of her was scolding her, telling her that it was just a broken bone and that people broke bones all the time, and that reacting like this not only proved all those idiots who thought that she couldn't fight right, but also kept her from concentrating and actually activating her weapons. Her earrings stopped pulsing, but retained a very faint glow, showing that it was almost ready.

Dimly, she could hear shouting. Dimly, she could see the flame draw back, its user distracted. And very, very dimly, she could remember Koto's words describing Hijoshi as 'the Crazy Killer'.

The name was certainly supported by everything she'd seen so far. Hijoshi could have just let her get disqualified for being out of the rink, or he could have just killed her with that much power – although that option was always unlikely, especially in tournaments when the point was to have entertainment. He could have simply beaten her up and showed the audience some blood and nice violence.

Instead, he had chosen to keep her standing with his own power and attack her in a manner that would derive little pleasure for anyone, but him. And if that example were continued, she would most likely never leave the arena – or, if she did, it would be in lots of bloody, broken pieces.

It was that thought, finally, coupled with coursing adrenaline, that broke through the pain.

Riko took a shuddering breath, trying to keep it as quiet as possible to avoid distracting her opponent or aggravating her collarbone, which, although the original scaling pain had died, was still throbbing like a second heart.

Spirit energy trickled down her arms, streaming into her earrings. They began to pulse again as Yusuke backed down and Koto skipped back over to them. Hijoshi was returning his attention to his victim, and there was a dark smile on his face.

He lifted his hand.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"He's going to do it again!" Now, it was Kuwabara's angry cry. He had almost joined Yusuke in his argument with Koto, but a touch on the shoulder and a strong look from Kurama had made him hesitate, which had given Kurama enough time to calm Yusuke down. "Kurama, how can you just watch this? He's hurting her!"<p>

Kurama made no reply, instead staring at Riko, as if praying for her. Emotions battled inside of him, one telling him not to interfere, the other screaming at him to save Riko as she had done for him.

* * *

><p>Hiei's eyes flicked from the 'fight' to Kurama, and there was a slight narrowing of the eyes, before his face smoothed again, and he returned to looking at Hijoshi and Riko. There was a very cold feeling in his stomach. He knew what was going to happen.<p>

It had been clear from the beginning that Riko was not a fighter. Keun might have been able to survive in this competition, but Riko never could have.

_Fool human,_ Hiei thought distantly. _Fool Koenma for allowing her to enter._

* * *

><p>His fists were clenched so tightly that they had gone white from lack of blood. Yusuke was starting to shake from the hardship of controlling his anger.<p>

That control snapped as Hijoshi lifted his hand again.

He didn't even remember lifting his hand, but all of a sudden, there was spirit energy gathering itself on the tip of his finger, and he was yelling at Hijoshi, "You hit her again, and I will fucking kill you! Do you hear me? I will knock you to the other side of the world, and Hell's gonna look like Heaven, you hear me?"

Hijoshi turned his head slightly to meet Yusuke's flashing eyes. "Will you?" He asked, his rasping voice getting deeper. "Really?"

There was a pause as the fire tangled itself around Hijoshi's hand –

And then, he sliced downwards, sending the fire roaring at Riko's face.

End of Chapter 31

* * *

><p>So, this is a very Riko-centric arc. Do you guys think that it's <em>too<em> Riko-centric?


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N:** Oh the gore... (WARNING: Gore xD) Coming up are...the guys' fights! xD

**Published**: 4/1/12

**Next Update Date**: 4/4/12

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 32

Hijoshi sliced downwards, a stream of fire running towards Riko.

The earrings on the back of Riko's hand pulsed one last time, and then black and silver light edged with purple exploded throughout the arena, blinding anyone who was looking towards Riko at the time – which meant that roughly the entire stadium saw white spots in their vision for the next few seconds.

When they had faded, Riko's face and upper body were obscured by two upside-down, teardrop-shaped objects that were curved like a shield and attached on the concave side with straps to Riko's forearm. The two kite shields extended a quarter of a meter beyond Riko's forearm on the top side, and about half a meter past Riko's elbow on the other side, allowing full protection for her arms and enough space to cover most of the rest of her body as well if need be. They were shaded just like the earrings had been, with one half black and the other, larger half silver, separated by a thin curved line.

On the end of the teardrop-shaped shield, at the pointy end, there was a thin silver blade that gleamed dangerously.

Murmurings started up in the audience, words of shock and of surprise. There was not a mark on the shields to show that they had been at all damaged by Hijoshi's white flame. Hijoshi himself looked a bit surprised, although not at all disappointed.

On the edge of the arena, Yusuke had frozen.

Next to him, Kuwabara was halfway through summoning his spirit sword, and on his other side, Kurama was blinking, a slow smile starting across his face. Hiei's eyes had widened at impact, but his face was quickly settling down again.

Riko lowered the shields from her face. Blackness had crawled up her arms and all over her body, leaving her with Keun's darkness encircled eyes and spiral-marked arms and legs.

She lifted one leg and then the other, the white fire snapping and falling away from her like brittle ice as she did so. Keun stepped out of the mess of white as it dissolved and went rushing back to Hijoshi. Purple fire flickered at the edges of her shape as more power rippled up from inside of her, causing more changes in the shield.

The perfectly round edges now began to grow spikes, silver and ragged in a way that promised a painful death to anyone caught on one.

Koto, who had scrambled for cover, now cautiously returned to center stage. After a quick look around, she put her mike to her mouth, "What's this? We have a new turnaround! Keun, who was, until a moment ago, completely helpless, has managed to free herself and is looking much darker than before. What is going on here?" She darted towards Keun. "Keun, wanna enlighten us?"

Without so much as looking at Koto, Keun began to walk towards Hijoshi. As she did so, the edge of a blade came perilously close to Koto's arm, making her jump back in alarm. "Okay… I guess Keun isn't feeling very talkative."

Keun walked until she was a meter away from Hijoshi and then lifted her right arm so that one of the blades sat next to Keun's face and then snapped her elbow, slashing across Hijoshi's body and aiming for his chest.

Of course, it wasn't that simple.

Hijoshi hopped backwards – and then again as Keun kept moving forward, alternating slashing arms. "That was a nice trick," He said, as he continued on back. "Is that how you always do things? Let people think they're winning and then spring up on them?" He received no answer, but that didn't seem to dim his bubble at all, as he continued, "Of course, it's much more entertaining this way, so I'm alright with it. I hope this isn't your only trick though. Or otherwise, this fight is still going to end much sooner than would be fun."

Without saying a word, Keun took another step in and slashed. Hijoshi dodged easily. Keun's pattern was far too easy to read for him to be caught in it –

Keun stepped forward and then again very quickly, bringing her right next to Hijoshi and slashing before he was ready to dodge. Instinctively, the other demon put up his arm and then realized that at such proximity, the blade would simply slice through his arm before getting to his heart. For the first time since he had appeared in the arena, the smile slipped from Hijoshi's face and was replaced by a grimace of concentration.

* * *

><p>"She's got him!" Kuwabara exclaimed, excited. "Wow, that was amazing. How did she manage that?"<p>

Yusuke let out a breath, the bubbling feeling of relief slowly dying back down to calm. When he felt sufficiently normal again, he quipped sarcastically, "'Cause she has talent and you don't?"

"What was that, Urameshi?"

"What a pair of fools," Hiei remarked, stepping to the side to avoid the ring-side squabble.

Kurama glanced sideways at him and smiled. "Is that relief I detect in your tone, Hiei? Don't tell me that you actually care about Riko now."

Hiei gave Kurama his most withering glare. "Don't be ridiculous."

After receiving the glare with a gracious smile, Kurama turned his attention back to the fight.

Hijoshi had fallen straight down, managing to avoid a direct blow, but there were now long slashes down his arm, and blood – red blood – was dripping to the ground. The upper stages of the stadium were starting to shout, chanting that they wanted more. It seemed that they had forgotten that they were supposed to be cheering for their fellow demon.

_Unsurprising,_ Kurama thought. _Given that majority of them are here merely for satiation of bloodlust._

Now, Keun doubled her rate of attack, the blades doubling in length as she did so. Purple and black fire seemed to trail behind her as she leapt forward, and a thin sheen of blood that was not hers covered the edge of the right kite shield.

In a few moments, that sheen of blood had spread to cover the entire of both shields. A few drops of red had splattered onto Keun's skin, but had been repelled by the dark spirals, leaving her skin spotless.

The same could not be said of Hijoshi, who was almost as soaked in blood as the shields. Still, he seemed to be quite cheerful, though with a slight edge to it. His banter was still going at a continuous pace as he dodged. "What's the matter?" He asked, breathless. "You can't talk and attack at the same time? Or is it something else? Could you be –" He broke off as Keun ducked low and slashed at his leg, slicing through skin and stopping just before it went through bone.

Hijoshi dropped to his knees, wincing.

"And Keun has landed a seemingly crippling blow. Without the use of one of his legs, how will Hijoshi dodge Keun's relentless attacks? Is this the end of the 'Crazy Killer'?" Koto's rhetorical questions rang into the air, mingling with shouts for Keun to end it.

A slow smile spread across Hijoshi's face as he looked up at Keun. She was raising one arm for a final blow, and the light from the glass dome above her etched her form in pure light – a bit ironic, considering the dark fumes that rolled off her like a stink of shadows.

"That was very well done," Hijoshi complimented. And then, as Keun's blade came slashing down, he pushed backwards with his good leg.

A stream of white fire pooled behind him, forming two skeletal, wing-like appendixes that protruded from the middle-top of his back. They flapped once as he leapt backwards and carried him up into the air, out of reach of Keun's blades.

Deep within Keun, Riko dimly stirred, her first thought being, _How did I miss? _and then _Did I just hear wings?_

Above her, Hijoshi shook his hands, drops of blood falling from him like rain, and then looked down at his opponent. She was standing stock still, eyes pointed straight forward, kite shields at the ready, but strangely, she didn't appear to be focusing on him. He followed her gaze, but found nothing in its path. _Interesting,_ He thought. _Is she waiting for me to attack her?_ It didn't seem to fit with Keun's actions from before, which had all been very aggressive and lacking in defensive qualities, despite her weapons taking the form of kite shields.

_Well, I guess that really doesn't matter_, Hijoshi thought dismissively. He now had the advantage. His wings would give him speed over her, and if she showed a new trick – unless she could fly herself – if he was in danger, he could always escape into the sky.

He extended one hand, and a flicker of white fire appeared, weak, due to his blood loss, but still substantial enough to cast light on his palm. The fire moved quickly to form an arrow, which he spun a couple times.

In the background, Koto was saying something about his wings. Hijoshi watched as Keun lifted her head to stare at the sky.

She had been fun to play with, even if he was the one who had ended up shedding most of the blood. And the crowd had certainly enjoyed it. His eyes flicked up to regard the lines of people. They were screaming their approval even now – or at least the upper stands were. The lower ones still held onto some facsimile of elegance, though bloodlust gleamed in even the calmest eyes. Some of the cries had changed key now, calling for him to end Keun's life, whereas just a few moments before, they had been screaming the exact opposite.

_They want death,_ Hijoshi thought as he returned his gaze to Keun. He would have loved to shed gallons of her blood, as she had done to him, but out of the corner of his eye, he could see one of his teammates signaling him to hurry up – not Katame, but a pale, blue-haired young man with locks down to his shoulders and paler eyes. Ginu. He'd never understood Hijoshi's long, drawn-out deaths. If Hijoshi didn't end the fight soon, Ginu would start to get testy, and that was always an irritation.

_Oh well,_ Hijoshi gave an absent sigh. He drew his arm back, the arrow gleaming in it.

* * *

><p><em>.<em>

* * *

><p><em>She can't see.<em>

It was a realization that hit Kurama hard. He had suspected it before, in the Labyrinthine, but then it hadn't really affected Keun's movements that much then. After all, Seishin had been talking most of the time, which had allowed Keun to track him easily. The same had been true of Hijoshi for the beginning of the fight, but as soon as he'd risen into the air and stopped talking, Keun had lost her bearing. Only when Koto had begun announcing had she realized what had happened, but with no speech from her opponent, she still couldn't pinpoint her location.

Around him, Kuwabara and Yusuke were yelling at Keun to get out of the way, but the diminutive shadow-streaked creature didn't budge.

_Of course not. Since she doesn't know where he is, she doesn't know where to go._ Kurama's mind raced, trying to figure out a way to help her without getting disqualified. It was hard, especially since the predominant thought in his mind was, _Why can't she see?_

Judging by the black marks around her eyes, it was a personal choice, but why? What was the point of giving herself such a severe handicap?

His train of thought was disrupted as Hijoshi drew his arm back, and Yusuke and Kuwabara became deafening.

And still, Keun didn't try to dodge. She had even let her arms drop so that her kite shields offered little protection.

_She just needs specific directions,_ Kurama thought, mind close to panic. His mouth opened and his throat worked as Hijoshi let the arrow fly. "Riko, duck and dodge right two meters!"

Keun didn't move an inch as the arrow struck her straight in the chest. She made no noise as the arrow entered her and she fell, slowly, to the ground. Her face hit the stone floor, and her sightless eyes closed as her shields clattered down next to her.

There was a cold silence.

"Ah – well, that was an anticlimactic end," Koto said into it. She ran over to Keun. "Let's take a pulse check. From what I hear, humans are much weaker than us. If they got no pulse, it means they're dead, and we won't have to go through ten counts." Koto placed her hand on Keun's neck and paused for a few moments.

Breathless silence filled the stadium, the darkest coming from the detective team's corner. In their little box, three of the four girls had come forward to the edge of the box, fear on their faces. The last was still seated, but even she looked mildly unsettled. On the arena stage, Hijoshi landed again and walked over to Keun's limp body.

Finally, Koto looked up and shook her head. "She's dead, people. The mighty Keun is dead."

Hijoshi looked down at the body as Koto got to her feet to pronounce him the winner. "So soon?" He murmured, voice so soft and gentle that it had almost lost its rasp. "I was hoping that you'd have more tricks –"

The stunned shock that the audience and the Urameshi team had been in broke into an even greater shock as, wide-eyed, Hijoshi fell to the ground, his legs severed at the knee. Blood spurted all over Koto, who yelped and jumped back in surprise, and over Keun, who was halfway up now, her eyes open again, one arm extended out – the arm that had just cut Hijoshi's lower limbs from his body.

"How? Wha-what?" Koto was reduced to stuttering as Keun got to her feet and took a step forward.

She ran into the remains of Hijoshi's legs, which fell over. Without so much as a twitch – she was still spotless – Keun took another step and ran into the other half of Hijoshi's legs, the half still attached to his body, and stopped. She lifted both arms and slashed down fast.

Blood flew into the air and continued to fly as Keun cut mercilessly. In a few seconds, Hijoshi very much resembled the late Seishin from the Labyrinthine, nothing more than a few bloody pieces of flesh, with pools of red liquid staining the stone.

Keun stood in the middle of it for a moment and then turned and walked back towards her team.

Silence had taken over the stadium again, amazement and fear tingeing the air.

In a shaky voice, Koto said, "Well, I think there's no point in doing a – a count for this situation. I declare Keun the winner." She put up one hand, blood flying from it as she did so. Mild, stunned sounding applause echoed briefly. "Keun has certainly lived up to her name, taking out Hijoshi in the most brutal way possible." There was a mixed look of disgust and approval on her face as blood slid down her arm. "What a splendid end to our inaugural battle. Welcome to the Blood Games, ladies and gentleman."

'_Inaugural battle'._ Kurama's mouth tightened slightly as his eyes flickered between Keun walking towards them and the remains of Hijoshi.

_This is only the beginning._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>From the midst of a particularly dense part of the crowd, an orange-haired girl with petite bones and dressed in a blue and white sailor outfit shook her head and frowned. Besides her, a tall woman with beautiful dusky skin and dark eyes and hair, patted her on the shoulder. "It's alright, Yuuna." Her voice was deep, but suited to her appearance. "Don't fret too much about this one battle. We have many more chances." Her eyes gleamed.<p>

"After all, this is only the beginning."

End of Chapter 32

* * *

><p>Oh...the drama. ^ - ^<p> 


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N:** ...Yeah, I have almost nothing to say here, except enjoy the nice continuity while you can. XD Work's starting up fast again, and it'll probably be back to once a week for a while...

**Publish Date**: 4/4/12

**Next Update:** 4/8/12

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 33

"Man, Riko, that was scary." Yusuke mockingly play punched Keun. "Why didn't you tell us you had skills like that?"

"Yeah, and what was with the heart stopping?" Kuwabara demanded. "I really thought you'd died!"

Yusuke snorted. "What, you did, Kuwabara? I thought you were the one who could see our spirit energy. How could you get fooled by a heart stopping?"

Keun barely spared a glance for them, walking past them and settling herself in the middle of the group before turning around and facing front again. Slowly, the black spirals began to withdraw themselves from her body, starting first with her eyes, which regained what little color they had as the darkness unraveled itself. As soon as the last spiral had disappeared into its source – the kite shields – the shields themselves began to shrink and change until they were just two earrings.

They trembled on the back of Riko's hands, being no longer secured there by spirit energy. Carefully, Riko lifted one hand over the other, removed the earring, and then did the same with the other hand. She looked at them for a moment, considering putting them back on, but decided against it. Even if they were clip-ons, at the rate that her hands were shaking, she was still very likely to stab herself. Instead, she held them in one hand.

"Are you alright?"

The quiet question came from Kurama.

Riko's eyes flicked up briefly and then back down. "I'm fine."

The unusually quiet tone caused Kurama to look at Riko a bit more closely. Sweat had started to gather on the side of her neck, and the hand that was clenched around the earrings was going white, as if her grip was much tighter than it seemed.

"Do you need to sit down?" Kurama asked, concern seeping into his tone. His eyes flicked to the carnage on stage, which was being cleaned up quickly by a crew of workers as Koto talked randomly.

"I'm fine," Riko repeated. And then, softer, "I can't. Not yet. I can't let them see that I'm tired. They have to think that I'm stronger than I am." She paused for a breath. "I can't."

Very slowly, Kurama nodded. Reputation seemed very important for Riko. It was better that he didn't interfere with it. And she was able to stand without falling at least. To change the subject, he asked, "So, how did you manage the heart stopping? I didn't think that was a part of your skill repertoire."

A small smile flitted across Riko's face, but her voice, when she spoke, was even quieter than before, making it extremely hard to hear over Koto's finishing touches of the fight. "The black lines on my body? They make it very hard to hurt me, and they can also control my body – that's a healer thing. When I wrap a strand of it around a part of my body, I can manipulate it." She shrugged. "I was playacting, but when she took my pulse, I just stopped my heart briefly. It's not that harmful. And all I needed was a few seconds anyways." Her smile grew a bit. "I had a feeling Hijoshi would say something. Crazy people usually do."

She was prevented from saying anything else by a louder call from Koto that attracted the attention of all the boys and put a premature end to Yusuke and Kuwabara's squabble. Kurama turned to face the fox announcer, and Hiei shifted his eyes from Riko to Koto.

"We will now proceed with the next round. Teams, please send out your next fighters, and let's start another bloodbath!"

"That chick is starting to really bug me," Yusuke grumbled. He looked around. "Who wants to go next?"

Before anyone could reply, a roar from the other side distracted them all.

The demon who had been so eager to fight Riko in the beginning – Katame - was stirring up a storm again. "Shut the hell up, Ginu! I'm going next, and you can bet that I'll win, dammit!" He shook off the arm of the silver-blue haired demon and stormed onto the platform. He walked straight up to Koto and grabbed her mike, eliciting a cry of protest. "Hey, you little bitch, Keun!" He yelled into it. "Get your ass back here right now."

_Oh dear…_ Riko considered rubbing her forehead, but couldn't summon up even the energy for that.

"Mister Katame or whatever," Koto cried as she struggled to get her mike back. "That's not allowed! Given the rules that both your teams agreed on at the beginning, she cannot fight until a new match is started." She succeeded in grabbing the mike and had gotten out, "Team Urameshi –" before Katame grabbed it again.

"You afraid, bitch? You cowardly, cheating bitch! You afraid?" He yelled, glaring at Riko. "_Come fight me!_"

…_Damn you, reputation._ Given who she was, if she didn't answer a challenge, fear for her might drop, and that would be lethal for her. _Still though, how do I answer something like that when I can barely stand?_ Riko considered the situation for a moment and then decided that cold and aloof was probably the best way to play it.

"_Me? Fight you?"_

Even Hiei's back stiffened at the wall of pure ice that Riko's voice had created. Heads turned all over the arena to look at her, and silence ensued immediately so that her cold voice could be heard.

After a moment of scoffing, Riko continued, "I am one of the greatest treasure hunters ever to live, and I have my pride. _Me_? Fight with _you_?" Riko shook her head and turned her back on the arena, walking up to the stone wall that separated the bottom of the spectator ring from the fighting ring. About two meters up, the glass wall took over.

When she reached the wall, Riko turned and leaned against it, crossing her arms and legs in the most casual manner possible, hoping that no one could tell that she was resting all of her weight against the wall. She angled her head slightly and met Katame's eye with all the scorn that she could muster. "Don't be ridiculous."

There was silence all through the arena.

Finally, Koto broke in. "Well, since Keun has made it very obvious that she's not going to fight and since the rules say that she can't, may we have another volunteer from the Urameshi team?"

Yusuke looked at his team again. "Who wants to go?

"…Hey Urameshi?" Kuwabara pointed over Yusuke's shoulder.

"What? You volunteering, Kuwabara?" Yusuke looked at Kuwabara's finger. "That's a weird way to do it. Don't people usually raise their hands?"

Kurama coughed. "I believe that what Kuwabara is trying to say is that the question is moot." He nodded towards the arena.

Yusuke turned around.

On the arena stage, standing coolly before Koto and Katame, who looked amazed at his sudden appearance, was Hiei.

"Looks like we have our volunteer," Koto exclaimed. She looked back at forth between the two. "Are you both ready to spill some blood?"

"Enough with the dramatics, announcer," Hiei said in a clipped voice. "Start the fight."

Koto looked started. "Well, it's my duty to make sure that both opponents are –"

"I'm ready, dammit!" Katame snapped.

Koto gave the signal to begin and leapt back.

He cracked his knuckles. "And once I finish with you, I'll take down that brassy tramp down there. Shouldn't take too long."

"Brassy tramp?" Riko muttered as she lowered herself as gracefully as she could. She tried not to let herself relax too much. It wouldn't be safe to until the crowd was completely focused on the fight. _I hope Hiei puts on a good show._ She settled her shoulder and winced. _A good, long show,_ She thought, lightly rubbing her collarbone. The bone had been fixed during her transformation, but the bone still felt sore.

"Finish?" The tone of Hiei's voice matched the one that Riko had used earlier. "If you mean your finish, I agree with you." His sword appeared in his hand, and there was a just a moment of anticipation before he disappeared from his spot opposite Katame and reappeared in front of him.

His sword hit Katame's shoulder –

And stopped.

A look of surprise flitted in Hiei's eyes and then he leapt back, dodging Katame's backhanded swat easily. He landed just a bit from his original position, sword still out, face still cold and set, but a touch of uncertainty now marking his features.

Katame gave Hiei a glare, his almost handsome features made even more so by the cockiness of the expression. "See that? Your stinking little sword can't even mark me." He rolled his shoulders back and winked at Koto, his bad temper of just a few moments ago already gone. "This will be over soon. You and I should catch some human meat together." His one eye glittered as his gaze went past Hiei and landed on Riko. "I know just the human, too."

With a slightly nervous laugh, Koto opened her mouth to reply – probably with something ridiculous, but polite – but before she could, Hiei cut her off. "Control your urges or I may have to end your life in a more painful way than I'd originally planned."

A hearty laugh exited Katame's throat, a noise that sent irritation spikes up Hiei's neck. "End my life? You can't even cut through my skin. How exactly do you intend to end my life?"

Without an answer, Hiei disappeared again, images of him flashing next to Katame as trails of light showed the spots where he and his very sharp sword had been.

For a moment, Katame just stood there, glancing down at Hiei. Quickly though, his patience waned. He threw out another hand, aiming for Hiei's head.

Again, Hiei dodged easily, but there was anger in his expression now. The audience was starting to get restless, the higher crowd especially starting to shout for blood, shouting for Katame to finish it. As if he had been waiting for it, Katame grinned at Hiei, something dark burning in his one eye and cracked his knuckles.

* * *

><p>Kurama glanced back over his shoulder as he heard Riko wince. "Something the matter he asked?"<p>

Though still grimacing, Riko shook her head. "Not really. I just _hate_ that habit." She motioned at the knuckle-cracking Katame was finishing up. "It's so…" She shook her head again.

Hiding a smile, Kurama waited until he was sure he could keep a straight face and then replied, "It's nice to see that you're so concerned about Hiei."

Riko gave him her driest look. "I'm sure that he was very concerned about me while I was getting mauled." She stretched lightly and added, "Besides, he hasn't even been hit yet."

"Maybe not his body," Kurama said back as he turned to face the arena stage again, "But certainly his ego."

Behind him, he heard Riko snort. "Oh yeah," She muttered. "He's taken more than five seconds and one sword slash to kill this guy. I'm sure that he's just dying inside." And then, for the audience benefit, she curled up into a neat ball and yawned, faking as little interest as possible. "Wake me up when it's over."

* * *

><p>"What's the matter?" Katame taunted. "Too scared to get close to me?" He was attacking Hiei viciously now, punches and kicks that were almost reminiscent of the street style that Hiei had observed with Yusuke and Kuwabara, but had just a bit more refinement, as if Katame had had some lessons that he had very sparsely attended.<p>

Still, even with the apparent extra training, it was mere child's play for Hiei to dodge. Katame was much slower, and he had lost any chance for a surprise attack by not taking Hiei right off the bat. The only thing that was really hurting Hiei were Katame's comments, which were getting more acidic every moment.

"Don't tell me that that bitch was your strongest member!" Katame scoffed. "How pathetic can you get, letting a half-ass _human_ beat you?"

* * *

><p>From where she lay, Riko twitched slightly. <em>'Bitch'. Half-ass human'. Sexist and racist. What a catch.<em>

* * *

><p>A punch finally landed.<p>

Hiei's head was thrown to the side by the force of the blow, made even harder by crippling armored skin, but very slowly, it returned to its former position. There was a dark bruise starting to grow already, but even that couldn't subtract from Hiei's icy glare, as he stared straight into Katame's one eye.

Everything slowly seemed to lose its color as Hiei took the foreground. Even Katame's lovely hair was slowly losing its color.

Hiei, on the other hand, was starting to burn slowly, his demon energy flickering up all around him in a dark blaze of disgust and power that was starting to unnerve Katame.

He stumbled backwards, unable to break from Hiei's eyes, but unwilling to stay close to something that he knew instinctively was dangerous. "What the hell are you doing?" He snapped, as if he thought that by being tough, he could somehow stop Hiei and regain control of the situation. "Trying to use your demon energy now? Don't even bother. My skin can hold up to anything."

"Oh really." Hiei's tone turned the question into a calm statement, at odds with the power pulsating from him.

"Yeah," Katame stammered, as he took another step back. "Yeah, really. Here, I can get even stronger."

Hiei replied with an emotionless grunt.

Power began to gather around Katame now, too, ripples of deep red fire. He glowed for a moment and then the fire blazed strong. His arms started to grow to twice their original size, the muscles bulging out. Both his girth and height expanded, leaving him almost twice Hiei's height. His skin darkened to a deep, dusky green and gained a sheen as if it had suddenly turned into metal.

"Ha! See this?" Katame thumped himself on the arm, and there was a dull thud – not the normal sound for skin hitting skin. "Nothing can hurt me now. You should just give –"

"Firstly," Hiei said, voice light and cold. "No one who hits himself could ever hope to beat me." Fire was starting to lick at Katame now, and despite all the demon's talk about having invincible skin, he was starting to look a bit uncomfortable in the growing heat.

* * *

><p>"Technically that's not true," Yusuke remarked. He had relaxed once Hiei had begun his power summoning. "I've hit myself a few times."<p>

Kuwabara stared at him incredulously. "What?"

Yusuke shrugged. "Hey, there are a lot of damn mosquitoes in the summertime, alright?"

A snort escaped Kuwabara. "You – hit – yourself?" He choked out between laughs.

* * *

><p>"Secondly," Hiei continued. "I am never defeated."<p>

* * *

><p>"Okay that is definitely not true," Yusuke said, after he had finished his mini brawl with Kuwabara.<p>

* * *

><p>"And lastly," And here, Hiei's voice dropped to almost unperceivable levels, the words meant only for Katame's ears. "That 'half-ass human <em>bitch'<em> is not the strongest of our team, but she is a thousand times stronger than you."

Purple and black fire roiled from the ground, and a thundering roar filled the stadium as an enormous dragon erupted from the ground, completely consuming Hiei in its fire.

Screams started to fill the place, and even Riko sat up in alarm as Hiei yelled into the sky, "Dragon of the Darkness Flame!"

End of Chapter 33

* * *

><p>...Was Hiei's speech OOC? Was the humor too forced? Please let me know!<p> 


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N:** Quite a bit shorter than most of the chapters I've been uploading...still, I hope you enjoy it. Again, a bit Riko-centric. Ah wel...Next guy fight coming up ~ ^ - ^ Look forward to its crazy righteousness.

**Publish Date:** 4/8/12 (Yay ~ on schedule!)

**Next Upload Date**: April 14, 2012 (a whole week, I know, but things are getting rough again...)

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 34

'_Dragon of the' – no. Impossible. _Something between fear and disbelief roiled around Kurama and forced him to take a step back to avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer power wrapping itself in a dangerous knot around Hiei. He'd heard of this technique before – but it was a very, very risky one. No one had ever managed to use it properly before, and often, the strength of the dragon was so strong that it ended up devouring its user.

"What the – hell –"

That came from Yusuke, unable to string together a longer coherent phrase. He had put an arm up to shield against flying objects – pieces of the arena, anything left unsecured - which were being lifted up by the fragments of the dragon not bound completely to Hiei and thrown all across the stadium. Light crashes could be heard as they collided with the glass and shattered.

"So much power –" Kuwabara, his voice strained as if his sixth sense was working against him in such a case as this, where the amount of energy acted as a flood. "I don't know if – he can – control it." The words came out stuttered as wind created by the demon energy made him struggle to avoid being blown over.

A half-cry, half-grunt came from behind Kurama, making him note that Riko had just barely dodged a piece of concrete and had scooted several inches to the side. He considered going back to protect her give her current state, but she seemed well enough to at least keep herself safe.

"Hiei," Kurama whispered. "Don't –"

The dragon let out a roar that made all the tumult from before sound like children whispering and rushed towards Katame at a speed that would have trapped even Hiei himself. Ripples of power that couldn't be contained fell off its fiery skin and lashed out at the walls, bouncing off violently, angry at being confined. Both teams had to summon up their energy to avoid being injured by the waves.

In less than a millisecond, the moment had passed, and there was nothing but smoke and ash where Katame had once stood. Very slowly, the fire started to disappear, leaving only a very calm Hiei (minus his shirt, of course) and a completely shocked Koto, sitting on the arena, staring around wide-eyed.

"Are you going to declare a winner?" Hiei asked Koto coldly. He had withdrawn his power and tucked both hands into his pockets, so that they were hidden up to mid-forearm.

Koto turned her head to stare at him for a moment and then shook her head. "Yes, I –" She hesitated, looking over at where Katame had been and then shook her head again. Throwing out her hand, she cried, "The winner of the second round is Hiei!" She swallowed, took a breath and continued in a stronger voice, "That's two wins straight for the Urameshi team! They only need one more to go to advance to the next match!"

Hiei gave a satisfied grunt and then turned around and started back towards the rest of the group.

Stunned shock was starting to give way to milder surprise.

As he got closer, Yusuke walked up and mock punched him in one shoulder. "Man Hiei, what the hell was that? I didn't know you had some little black dragon hidden in you." He grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Makes me look forward to our rematch now. 'Course I'm still gonna kick your short, little ass."

"Unlikely," was Hiei's curt, but still faintly amused reply.

Kuwabara glared at Hiei suspiciously. "That was almost impressive," He admitted grudgingly. "You'd better not go back to the dark side though, or –"

"It's alright." Kurama placed a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder, smiling both at him and at Hiei. "Hiei wouldn't do that." He looked directly at Hiei, his smile never wavering. "Would you?" His eyes darted over Hiei, searching for a wound mark. The Dragon of the Darkness Flame took immense power to summon and was as dangerous to the one that summoned it as it was to the one that it was summoned against.

Still, there seemed to be no visible marks on Hiei.

_Maybe the effects are less for the first time,_ Kurama thought, smiling lightly at his own optimism.

With a grunt, Hiei scoffed, "Don't count on it, fox."

His smile widening, Kurama opened his mouth to reply and then paused as he heard a scuffle behind him.

_Riko's getting up,_ Kurama thought as he turned to glance back. _She's recovering fast –_

The smile vanished from Kurama's face.

Blood was splattered over Riko, her untouched Keun-skin having been torn open by the debris from Hiei's attack. There was no serious wounds, but there were enough that dark red lines laced her body. That combined with her stance was more than enough to unnerve Kurama slightly.

Riko was bent over slightly, as if she wasn't able to stand properly, and it was easier to see now the toll that fighting Hijoshi had taken on her. From a distance, it might seem like she was just being lazy, but from such close quarters, it was easy to see that Riko was close to falling over. Her limbs were as loose as they possibly could be, only tense enough to keep her standing, and only the thought that she had to act strong to fool the audience and her opponents kept even that slight tension in her muscles.

She took a step closer to them and then another, her steps quickening as the pain grew – it was better to take it fast. The pain wouldn't last as long then.

"Riko?" Kuwabara asked. "You okay? Shouldn't you be resting or something?"

Without answering, Riko reached them. Arm trembling, she held out her hand to Hiei and lifted her eyes slightly so that she could look into his.

_They're almost the same height,_ Yusuke noted. _Funny, I never noticed before._

Riko opened her mouth –

"Will Team Azura be able to make a comeback?" It was Koto, her voice annoyingly loud again. "We'll see – after a brief break! Ladies and gentlemen, please feel free to move around. Teams, we've prepared rooms behind you for a brief rest period. Games resume in fifteen minutes!"

…_Loud as she is, that actually helps,_ Riko thought as she turned and started to walk back. She kept her movements as fluid as possible, not realizing that her subconscious was counting down the steps to the stone door that had popped open, just a few centimeters from where she had just been sitting. Riko stepped through the doorway, breathing a sigh of relief as she resorted to leaning against the wall in the most casual manner she could. _I made it._

Behind her, she could hear Kuwabara muttered, "Break? What the hell is this?" He followed Riko into the room and looked around. It was a long, plain room with several couches and a long table on one end with some little plates of food and drink.

"They're classy people, Kuwabara," Yusuke replied mockingly. "They probably need to find someone to wipe their bums for them." He gave a brief challenging glare to the stands and then walked into the room as well.

Kurama gestured for Hiei to follow and then closed the door behind them, keeping an eye on Riko as he did so.

_Alright,_ Riko mentally thanked Kurama for being so thoughtful and held out her hand again. There were no cameras in the room that she could see so it should be alright."

"Miss and Misters."

_Oh my…_ Riko glared at the line of maidservants who had appeared from seemingly nowhere in order to serve them. _Rich people._

They all bowed in a row, and then the one standing directly in the middle asked, "Would you like anything special to drink? Or –"

"Get out," Riko snapped. "Get out now." She glared at them all, making sure that she made eye contact with each one and then repeated the command, emphasizing each word, "Get. Out."

There had been some hesitation at the first time and second time she had said it, but something about a glare from icy gray-purple eyes broke the maids. They curtsied again, fast, and then rushed through hidden side entrances.

"Whoa," Yusuke muttered into the silence. "Scary."

Breathing hard, Riko turned to face Hiei again. She held out her hand again, now visibly shaking. Without meaning to, Riko dropped to her knees, wincing at impact and going still for a moment as she recovered. She shook off Kuwabara and Yusuke's helping hands and lifted her head to glare at Hiei. "Give me your arm," She ordered.

Hiei looked at her for a moment and then humphed. "I don't need your help, human."

"Help?" Kurama murmured.

"Are you hurt, Hiei?" Yusuke asked, frowning.

"What the hell? But he never even hit you, did he?" Kuwabara wondered.

Slowly, Kurama drew his gaze to Hiei's right arm, at the bit of skin on his forearm that wasn't stuffed into his pants. There was a tiny black line. His eyes widened. _Dammit. How did I not see that before?_

"Give me your arm," Riko repeated. She was shaking more now, the hand held out to Hiei trembling the most.

"Are you sure you can" Yusuke asked. "I mean, you look pretty –"

Ignoring him, Riko asked in a low voice, "Should I give you another orange?"

There was a pause as everyone else obtained confused expressions and as Hiei glared at Riko. Finally, grudgingly, he retrieved his hand from his pocket and held it out in front of Riko. It was burnt almost black, shedding ash as it moved. Yusuke and Kuwabara stepped back in shock. Kurama began to curse silently inside his head.

Gently, Riko took the arm, pulling it down to her level, forcing Hiei down to one knee. "You guys should get something to eat," She said absently. "This might take a while." Purple fire glowed lightly on her palms and slowly seeped into Hiei's arm.

Black fire laced the inside of Hiei's arm, and Riko quickly realized that it wasn't anything like a normal burn. For one thing, burns this bad normally destroyed even the nerves, meaning there would be no pain, but judging by Hiei's expression, it hurt at least a little. For another, the black fire fought against Riko, almost as if it was staking its territory.

_I don't think so,_ Riko thought grimly and forced more of her power in to fight the black fire.

The first things she targeted were the nerves, healing them and covering them with a thin layer of her power to stop pain. The black fire didn't fight too hard against her there. She felt Hiei almost relax and then stiffen again as he felt himself relax. It almost brought a smile to her face.

Now, she took a closer look at the actual injury. It was almost like a living burn, as if the black fire was burning and reburning Hiei's arm over and over again. _The pain neutralization won't last more than a minute with the power I have now,_ Riko thought grimly. _I'd better finish this fast._

Fire trickled from her to Hiei again, targeting the black fire.

Cuts began to rise on Riko's skin, tinged with dark lines, but the girl ignored them, pouring more and more power into Hiei.

A hand rested on her shoulder. She wasn't sure how long it had been. There were holes in the spirit energy that she had used to cover Hiei's nerves. A soft voice told her, "That's enough. You should rest for now and heal him later. Hiei doesn't appear to be in any danger."

"Yeah," said another, more obnoxious voice. "And at this rate, you're going to make yourself faint, and we're gonna have to carry you again."

"Come on, Riko. Shorty'll be fine." A warmth by her side.

"I'm not going to faint," The voice was weak and breathless, not recognizable as her own. "Fainting is something only weak-minded people fall to. As long as I don't let go, I won't faint." Riko sent another trickle of power into Hiei. She shuddered, her vision blurring and going black.

Calmly, Riko waited for it to return to normal. Several times before, she had experienced symptoms of power withdrawal – those times when she had used up too much power. Still, she had never fainted from them before, and she was planning on it now.

_I can do this._ Another drop of power edged into Hiei's body and was zapped violently away by a countering black spark. Blood appeared from a cut on Riko's neck. _I am a healer._

Very slowly, Riko's hand dropped, her eyes closed –

And she collapsed.

End of Chapter 34

* * *

><p>Um...finishing notes... (Everyone should totally readbuy/watch Hunter x Hunter! Hehe...been hooked on it all week ~) Yeah, I think that's it. See you next week people!


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N:** ...Went through a super obsession with Fairy Tail that resulted in a oneshot GaLe. That along with work is starting to lower my ability to concentrate on this. xD So, currently working on my motivation level. That's why this might be a little...meh-y.

**Publish Date**: 4/15/12

**Next Upload Date**: April 22, 2012

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 35

Riko opened her eyes. She stared blurrily up at a stone ceiling. Every muscle in her body ached, and she couldn't, for the life of her, force a single one to move.

"Riko?" The voice, though she couldn't see the owner, was very familiar. "You alright?"

"Kuwabara." Her voice cracked. "What happened?"

"You fainted. That's what happened, you moron. So much for 'I won't faint'." Yusuke's voice was unrelentingly annoyed. "What the hell was that? Why'd you have to try to be the hero, huh? That's our job."

Panic started to seep into Riko's veins, adrenaline-like. "What? I fainted? Is the match over? Where's Hiei?" She struggled to rise and actually managed to get halfway up, before a hand forced her down again. "Wha –" Riko looked up into Kurama's face and stopped. "Kurama! What's going on?"

"_Intermission_ hasn't even ended yet," He said lightly. "It's only been two minutes since you've fainted. You should be fine now as long as you don't strain yourself too much. We have five minutes before we have to go back out. If you want to maintain your reputation, take this time to recover as much as you can."

Sighing, Riko let herself relax again. She looked up at the three faces – _three?_ Immediately, she tensed again. "Hiei! Where's Hiei? His arm –"

A black object was thrust above Riko. Her vision blurred for a moment and then refocused. It was Hiei's arm, still burnt black. "Nothing has changed." Hiei's voice, though his face was blocked by the arm. "You're too weak." Hiei withdrew his arm and walked away again.

'_Too'_ – The image of the arm danced in front of her eyes with Hiei's voice acting as the music. _'Too weak'. 'Nothing has changed.' I couldn't – I failed to heal – No – No –_ Riko's eyes slowly slid close again, her body relaxing.

* * *

><p>"She's asleep," Kurama announced. He looked at Hiei and frowned. "That was unusually cruel." When Hiei refused to answer, Kurama sighed and shook his head, looking at Kuwabara and Yusuke instead. "I don't think that we should take her out here again. It's unsafe to allow any of those – <em>people<em> – see her in this state."

"Alright." Yusuke leaned down and picked Riko up, hauling her over to a sofa and dropping her. "We'll just tell that fox that she's bored with it or whatever." He grinned. "That way, we won't ruin Miss Crazy's reputation." He glanced back at his team. "I'm feeling nice and rested now. Besides Hiei, we all ready to fight?"

"Ready," Kuwabara said, grinning. He cracked his knuckles.

Smiling, Kurama nodded. "I'm ready."

Scowling, Hiei spat, "I can still fight."

Grinning, Yusuke gave him a little bop on the head as he walked past him on his way to the stone door. "I know that. But you're not allowed to anyways. Just leave the rest to us."

Hiei grunted.

"Alright," Yusuke said as he pushed the door open. Light streamed through, strong enough to cast a glow in the stone room. Without thought, Yusuke punched the palm of one hand with the other as he walked out of the room, flanked by Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei. The noise almost created an echo and drew attention to the stone doorway. "Let's finish this!"

"What's this?" Koto's voice echoed throughout the stadium as the Urameshi Team (minus Riko) walked out of the stone doorway. "The Urameshi Team has returned before the end of intermission – and what's more surprising, they have returned without Keun! What could possibly be going on here?" She darted over and held the mike in front of Yusuke. "Would you like to make a comment?"

Yusuke took the mike. "Yeah, this is it." He glared up at the crowds. "Riko –" Kurama nudged him. "Ah – Keun? She's decided that – since she's not gonna be able to kick any more ass this round – she's just going to sit this out. The fights have been a bit boring for her." He stretched his glare into a grin, deliberately taunting both his opponents and those in the crowd who were not for him – which was almost everybody. "She's taking a nap." Casually, he tossed the mike back to Koto.

Koto caught it rather deftly and immediately launched into a storm of chatter that quickly brought out what remained of the Azura Team. The silver-haired Ginu looked to be getting more and more irritated by the noise. In fact, silver fire was actually starting to come off him now, almost like jets of very concentrated steam. His teammates were backing away, as if scared of their leader.

"Somebody looks like they're about to have a tantrum," Yusuke muttered, grinning evilly.

"One more win, and they're done for," Kuwabara added, cracking his knuckles.

"Don't get overconfident," Kurama warned. "Just because we have two fights on them does not guarantee that we will win the next one."

"Which reminds me," Yusuke said as he turned to face his team. "I wanna fight next. You guys okay with that?"

Kuwabara shrugged. "As long as you kick booty, I'm good with it." He grinned. "I'll just have to show those demons how strong I am another time."

"…Right. Kurama?"

Shaking his head, Kurama gave a little half-bow, indicating his agreement.

"Alright then –" Yusuke turned.

* * *

><p>"Ms. Koto?"<p>

The quiet, but unmistakably irritated voice carried across the stage to the Urameshi team, making Yusuke pause as he prepared to jump onto the platform and look over at Team Azura. Ginu had attracted Koto over and was talking to her – quietly, yes, but for some reason, his voice still managed to be heard throughout the arena.

"I was wondering," Ginu said, drawing Koto close. "Say that there was a team that entered into a fight with five members, but unfortunately four of those members were killed during the round – not during fights, I mean, but randomly." The words made his teammates step back again, eyes becoming wide. The same was true for the Urameshi Team, who stared across. "Could that remaining member fight all three fights needed to obtain a victory?"

For a moment, Koto only blinked at Ginu, and then, as if not realizing that she held the lives of the two other demons in her hands, she held the mike to her mouth and replied, "Yes. That's perfectly legal as long as the remaining member never loses or dies."

Ginu nodded, his expression of faint annoyance not changing in the slightest. He turned.

His teammates had backed up all the way to the wall and were now opening the stone door that had led to the rest room –

Silver fire exploded from Ginu, threads spinning into the form of a wolf-like creature, with a very elongated body and eyes and claws that were just barely brighter than the main body. The wolf landed on the ground and then immediately sprang forward, tackling the remaining members of Team Azura and quickly reducing them to a rather pathetic pile of shredded flesh and cloth.

The wolf dropped gracefully to the ground again, solidifying now into an actual physical form, the strands of silver slowly wrapping itself into its form. After a brief sniff at the dead demons, it trotted obediently back to Ginu's side.

Leaning down, Ginu gave it a little pet on the head.

* * *

><p>Yusuke was frozen with shock. It felt like his limbs had been numbed by an ice-bath – or as if they just didn't exist anymore.<p>

What had just happened?

His thoughts jumped around jumbled. _He just betrayed –_

"Oh and in a shocking turnaround, Ginu has personally killed the members of his own team, leaving him as the sole survivor of a team on what could be its last battle!" Koto's voice was a blaring insult to the blood-splattered ground. "Still, Ginu must be pretty confident if he feels that he can defeat the three remaining members of the Urameshi team all by himself!"

Yusuke stared at her. _That's not illegal –_

"And," Koto continued as if she had read Yusuke's thoughts, "For those goody-two-shoes in the audience who think that something like this should disqualify Ginu – don't worry! It's perfectly legal!" She winked at the audience. "After all, this is a game of blood –"

"You bastard!" The cry came from next to him – from Kuwabara – who, at first, had been in the same frozen state as Yusuke, but now seemingly, had replaced it with anger. "You fucking bastard! What the hell was that for?"

Next to him, Kurama was standing their, face blank, but tight, as if he was forcing himself to stay strong, and even Hiei's expression had shifted slightly.

With all the grace in the world, Ginu turned around to face the Urameshi Team – one demon all by himself. There was an air about him, not just grace, but also power, as if his aura was swelling all around the stadium.

A cold wind ran across Kurama's back, and he straightened, suppressing a shiver. He put a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder, hoping to restrain him. "Kuwabara, this is –"

"Don't tell me that this is how demons are, Kurama!" Kuwabara roared. "You aren't like this! Even that little shrimp isn't like this! Only stupid, evil people are like this." He shook Kurama off, breathing hard and glaring at Ginu. His spirit energy was starting to ripple now too, orange-yellow fire exploding from his body in little sparks.

One of them stun Kurama, and he let his hand fall.

"Urameshi," Kuwabara growled.

There was a moment of unseen communication between the two, and then Yusuke backed down. "You'd better get him good for me, Kuwabara," Yusuke said.

Something like a tight grin flashed on Kuwabara's face. "Don't worry. I'm gonna rip him to shreds!"

"Kuwabara," Kurama tried again, keeping his voice low. "Maybe you shouldn't. Fighting when you're angry –"

"I have to do this, Kurama!" Kuwabara snapped. "Did you see what he just did?" He glared at Ginu, who blinked at him as if nothing had happened.

_This is not going to be an easy fight. Ginu is an experienced demon. Maybe I should –_

"Don't bother." Hiei's voice was very neutral – too neutral for him – and calm to a point where it was almost scary. "He's stubborn as a pig." He directed his gaze and words at Kuwabara as he said, "Don't make a fool of yourself."

Kuwabara snorted. "You don't have to tell me that, shorty!" He clambered onto the platform, yelling to Ginu as he did so, "You get your ass over here right now! I'm gonna pound you into the ground."

After taking a once over of his opponent, Ginu gave a very delicate sniff and then hopped lightly onto the platform, his wolf companion following close behind. It looked surprisingly cheerful next to its serious and cold master, its tail held aloft, its eyes bright and curious.

_That wolf…_ Kurama hesitated and then stepped forward. "Kuwabara." The orange-headed young man glared back at him, impatient to get on with his battle. "Be careful of that wolf. It's more than it seems."

Giving him a thumbs-up, Kuwabara started towards Koto and the middle of the arena.

The wolf sniffed Koto as they approached the middle and then sat down at stared up at her. Koto edged away, seemingly as uncomfortable with the hunter as any real fox would have been. She looked at Ginu. "Excuse me, but you're only allowed to use weapons and spirit energy. Pets aren't allowed."

Very calmly, Ginu replied, "He's not a pet. As you might have noticed earlier when I summoned him, he's an embodiment of my spirit energy." He leveled his gaze at Koto. "I presume that that _is_ allowed.

Koto edged further away from the wolf, who was still staring, unblinkingly, up at her. "I – uh – yes, that's fine." She squirreled further back as Kuwabara approached and Ginu turned his attention to Kuwabara, relaxing a bit as the wolf got up again and faced Kuwabara, swishing its tail and sniffing. "Are you both ready?"

"I am going to make you pay," Kuwabara growled, ignoring Koto.

Ginu stared at him, doing the same. "Why do you care so much? They weren't your teammates, were they?"

"No, but they were yours!" Kuwabara hissed, temper flaring again. "What the hell do you think you're doing, just cutting them up? Don't you have any honor?"

The staring continued and then was cut off by an, "Ah." Ginu smiled slightly. "I understand."

"Understand?" Kuwabara snapped. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"…Well," Koto huffed, mildly irritated herself now. "I guess that I'll take that as a 'yes'." She raised her arm, but was cut off as Ginu spoke again.

"I understand." Ginu shrugged. "Every team has a weak link. I guess the Urameshi Team's must be yours. It's a good thing. I'll be able to warm up before I have to take on anyone that's really a threat."

Kuwabara's eyes widened in anger and he leapt at Ginu, sword appearing in his hand as Koto cried out, "Begin!"

Ginu's smile widened.

_Excellent._

End of Chapter 35

* * *

><p>Give me lots of love to motivate me! :D<p> 


	36. Chapter 36

Chiryo

Chapter 36

"They're doing well, aren't they?"

Koenma looked at Ogre, who was grilling some barbeque meats on a portable barbeque, while staring down at the arena. They were in a walled off cubicle around the middle-top of the arena that had a perfect view down on the stage. Kuwabara was in the act of slashing viciously at Ginu, and Ginu was dodging quite easily. "No. They are not. And what are you doing?" Quickly, he reached out and snitched a piece of meat, popping it into his mouth before Ogre would complain.

"I'm grilling meat, sir. And I would have to ask you to at least let me take the first bite," Ogre said indignantly. "I did bring this grill after all."

Glaring, Koenma asked around chewing, "Oh yeah? And who brought you here, huh?"

Ogre returned to quietly grilling his meat.

After he'd finished the meat and taken a sip of tea, Koenma glanced down at Kuwabara again, who was still relentlessly attacking. Apparently, his anger hadn't yet worn off. "Too chancy," He murmured under his breath.

"What's too chancy, sir?" Ogre asked as he flipped a slice of meat. Sizzling sounds erupted.

"This team," Koenma replied absently as he snatched the newly cooking slice of meat. "They're all too impulsive for this. Look at him," He jabbed a pudgy toddler finger at Kuwabara, who stumbled and then whirled for another attack. "Just jumping ahead with no plan or foresight."

Picking up a piece of meat, Ogre sniffed it and asked, "But haven't they always come through for you before, sir?"

"Yes, but there wasn't as much at stake then. Riko would do anything to get her hands on that brooch, and that pride of Hiei's might leave him useless to us for the rest of the tournament. Kuwabara and Yusuke are impulsive idiots, and I can't expect Kurama to just take care of everything for me." Koenma reached over and took the meat from Ogre, while rubbing his forehead with the other hand. "Oh, what a hard life I have."

"…Sir, you're a bully."

* * *

><p>"Tell me when he's done making a fool of himself."<p>

Keiko turned her head to frown at the older, sandy brown-haired girl who was sneaking out a cigarette and looking at anything but the stage. "Shizuru! That really isn't nice. He's your brother."

"Yeah, but unfortunately, that doesn't stop him from making a fool of himself," She lit the cigarette, pocketed the lighter and took a breath before continuing, "I mean, come on! What the heck does he think he's going to do, swinging that sword around like an idiot?"

Half-speechless, Keiko opened her mouth. Botan placed a hand on her arm. "Just leave it. Kuwabara can do this."

Almost immediately, Shizuru snapped, "Of course he can. He's my idiot little brother. I just don't like his idiot tactics." She glanced down, eyes softening slightly. "That idiot."

Earnestly, Yukina said, "They're all very strong, Keiko. I'm sure that they'll be fine."

Nodding, Keiko settled down and returned her gaze to the arena. Her eyes kept getting drawn away from Kuwabara to the side of the arena where the rest of Team Urameshi stood. Yusuke was watching Kuwabara, and she could just imagine the exasperated look on his face. That rivalry was one that would never end, but it also gave them a bond. An unbreakable one.

_They can see into each other's worlds._ Keiko felt something in the pit of her stomach, something like butterflies, but darker. _It's just a focused world, such a Yusuke-thing._ She watched as Yusuke winced at a particularly clumsy miss. The audience was starting to get restless now with the lack of physical contact.

_Is that a world that I'll ever be able to enter?_

* * *

><p>Kuwabara was pissed, which normally was a good thing because it gave him the passion and the strength to plow through whatever enemy he was facing at the moment, be it a neighborhood gang or his very scary older sister.<p>

Unfortunately, that passion and strength wasn't very useful in this situation, as it seemed that Ginu had less bones than a jellyfish.

_Dammit, how's he so fast?_ Kuwabara skidded to a halt and whipped around to glare at Ginu who had managed to get to his other side in less than a second.

"Will this be the first loss of the Urameshi Team? Kuwabara can't seem to even lay a finger on Ginu who hasn't even broken into a sweat!" Koto announced excitedly. "Could we see a comeback? I don't know yet people, but I have to say that I'm getting quite worked up. Let's see some blood, fighters. Tear into each other!"

_Man, she's annoying,_ Kuwabara's subconscious complained.

"Oi, Kuwabara!" Kuwabara's mind registered that it was Yusuke talking without turning away from his opponent. "Is this what you meant when you said that you wanted to do this? 'Cause I really don't see any butt-kicking, and we're all getting pretty old here. Stop being an idiot and think of a plan, you moron!"

There was a faint cough that also reached Kuwabara's ears, an "I'm not sure _you_ can say that," in Kurama's more delicate tones, and then a bark of laughter from Hiei.

Despite himself, Kuwabara had to grin, too. He stood up straighter and stared at Ginu, who sensed the change in his opponent. His dog companion, which had darted around like a gazelle, growled, its spirit fur standing on end. Absently, Ginu put out a hand, and its growling suddenly became silent.

Closing his eyes, Kuwabara took a brief moment to breath, steadying his mind, and then, faster than it was humanly – or demonly – possible to react, he leapt forward, sword held back and ready to swing. It was a normal blow, and Yusuke groaned at the idiocy of the move as Ginu easily stepped back to avoid it – until the sword suddenly lengthened.

_Got him_, Kuwabara thought as the sword grazed Ginu's neck and he concentrated on increasing the length even further. "This is where it ends, buddy!"

And then, in a motion thoroughly impossible by any living creature that wanted to keep its bones intact, Ginu rolled himself backwards into a ball, the sword flying over his head.

_What the –_

Kuwabara's eyes had barely had time to open before Ginu unsnapped and kicked him hard straight in the stomach. All the breath was knocked out of his body as he sailed a good three meters up into the air before landing in a heap a few piles away.

He gasped, unable even to work up the energy to get to his feet. Dimly, he heard Koto come over and start to count. He noted that Ginu had unrolled himself and was cracking all his joints again, a sound that mixed with the ringing in his ears to create quite an odd beat.

"1…2… What an amazing kick! Did you all see that, audience? Kuwabara just got the stuffing kicked out of him by a single move from Ginu. Did you hear the breaking bones? Wasn't that just a lovely sound?" She continued her count. "3…4…"

"Kuwabara, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

That voice snapped Kuwabara from his dazed state. He could breathe at the very least, if not very well or deeply. Flipping over, he struggled to his feet before the '5' could escape from Koto's mouth. She seemed rather disappointed, but went on commentating, "Oh, it seems that Kuwabara still has enough energy to get up! Amazing given that several of his ribs must be cracked by this point. Still, it'll hopefully give us a chance to hear some more bones breaking."

After a glare at the fox demon, Kuwabara spread his legs apart to maintain his stance and stared at Ginu.

He had noticed something strange as the silver-haired demon had attacked him – well, two somethings really. One was his insane flexibility, as if he really didn't have any bones, a prospect that seemed increasingly likely to Kuwabara's slightly woozy head. Second, there was something strange about the dog. Ginu had said it was made out of his spirit energy, so that accounted for the odd feeling that Kuwabara got from it, but if it really was his spirit energy, than why didn't he use it?

"Hey."

Ginu raised an eyebrow. "You want to talk now?"

"Yeah. Why aren't you using your dog?"

Without even glancing at the creature, Ginu replied, "I don't need to. It's only for strong opponents. I don't need any energy to kill you."

…_Okay, third strange thing,_ Kuwabara thought. He had distinctly felt demon energy touch him when Ginu had kicked him. That was definitely what had added the extra force. It was a strange energy, the same as the one in the dog, but also lighter, as if he was trying to conceal it.

The energy fur on the dog was standing up again, and he growled. At the same time, Ginu snapped, "I think that's enough talking. I have two others to go through after you."

He leapt at Kuwabara, initiating a delighted rant from Koto, who was sure that Ginu attacking first for the first time in the fight meant that there was going to be blood shed.

Out of reflex, Kuwabara didn't summon his sword again, but instead blocked Ginu's blow with his own left arm, a solid block that, although it probably wouldn't have gained him any points in an official martial arts competition, should have stopped a simple punch.

Unfortunately for him, that was not the case.

The seemingly normal blow sent Kuwabara plowing backwards, his feet digging a furrow in the ground that sent him all the way to the edge of the platform. His arm was still held upright, but the forearm was now bruised, and the intense pain that ran through Kuwabara's system told him without a doubt that it was broken.

"Ooo! What a blow!" Koto cried, her tone spilling the joy that she felt. "Kuwabara has been literally pushed to the very edge of the arena by Ginu's punch and seems to have suffered even more broken bones. Still, he seems determined to continue. What are we going to see next, ladies and gentlemen?"

* * *

><p>Yusuke punched the wall. "What the hell is he doing?" He snapped, angry. "Kuwabara, you ass. You might not be as strong as me, but that guy's not even using his energy, and he's still kicking you into the ground! What the hell!"<p>

"He's strong," Hiei said, with a hint of respect. "There's no way Kuwabara can beat him."

"It is strange though," Kurama murmured. "He says that he's not using spirit energy, and yet he already went through all the trouble of summoning the dog." Thoughtfully, Kurama eyed the dog. "He doesn't use the dog, and yet, he doesn't dismiss it either."

"Maybe he just likes dogs," Yusuke said dismissively.

Hiei snorted. "Oh yes, detective. That's why a skilled demon like Ginu would needlessly waste energy."

Though his lips stretched slightly, Kurama's eyes stayed steady. "I don't think so." His eyes flicked over to Kuwabara. "It's also strange that Kuwabara couldn't block that blow."

Hiei looked at Kurama and then back at the stage. "What are you thinking, Kurama?"

Grimly, Kurama replied, "That dog is not just spirit energy."

* * *

><p>It was very hard to concentrate when it felt like he was about to be strangled by the pain, but Kuwabara managed to pull his thoughts together. He had a theory – a crazy, probably unviable theory, but a theory nonetheless. And he had to test it.<p>

Ignoring the pain, Kuwabara let his left hand go slack and lifted his right hand, his sword rematerializing. He waited for a moment as it steadied. The flame was perilously small, but if he concentrated, he was sure that he could get it to do what he wanted.

"Again with the sword?" Ginu asked. "This isn't as much of a warmup as I hoped."

Raising the sword to ear height, Kuwabara breathed and then swung. The blade stretched as he did so, veering widely around Ginu and heading instead for the silver wolf that relaxed near the middle of the arena. The speed and the advantage of surprise were enough that there was little chance that the wolf would be able to dodge.

_Which,_ Kuwabara thought grimly as he concentrated, _shouldn't really matter much if that's just a dog._

The orange fire leapt up and dived at the wolf –

Ginu leapt into its path.

A thousand sudden intakes of breath made it sound like a giant was gasping in the stadium.

Ginu evaporated into fine silver sparks.

_Definitely not the normal way of dying, _Kuwabara thought, pleased. He squinted through the sparks, trying to see the wolf.

_Now. Let's see what he's hiding._

__End of Chapter 36

* * *

><p>Please let me know what you guys think! Was that deduction too much for the information (or person xD) at hand? I hope you guys enjoyed it, even if it was a bit short and kinda crappy...<p> 


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N**: Late by two days - I'm very, very sorry. It was really busy Sunday and I got lazy yesterday. **bows** I truly apologize.

On another note, lemme know if Ginu's powers/explanation was too confusing.

**Upload Date**: May 1st, 2012 (May Day!)

**Next Upload Date:** 5/5/12 (Cinco de Mayo ~)

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 37

Silver danced in the air, slowly solidifying into a Ginu-shape. There was a moment of blurriness and then Ginu's face appeared and he smiled coldly at Kuwabara.

"Nice try," Ginu said. "But I have the ability to separate myself into my spirit energy, so I'm afraid all your attacks –"

"Liar." Kuwabara cracked his knuckles, grinning now. "I know your secret."

* * *

><p>Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "What just happened? Did Kuwabara do something smart?"<p>

"Either that or something very stupid," Hiei muttered under his breath.

Smiling, Kurama folded his arms together. "This should be interesting."

* * *

><p>"Firstly," Kuwabara began. "The reason that you're so strong even though it seems like you're not using any spirit energy is because you're cloaking your energy. You're making it seem like you're not using any, even though you are!" He turned to glare at Yusuke. "See? I'm not weak!" Turning back he continued, "And secondly, you're not real!"<p>

The audience was completely silent, and the only thing that broke that silence was Koto. "It seems that the stress of battle may have finally hit Kuwabara, who is now accusing his opponent of not actually existing. While shell shock normally doesn't occur in these battle situations, it may be that Kuwabara's lack of experience in actual fights –"

"Hey, shut up!" Kuwabara barked indignantly. "I am not shell shocked!"

"Are you sure?" Ginu asked, acid dripping from his voice. "Because I definitely exist." His eyes had become very cold, and he was dropping into a fighting stance, his breathing growing slow and even. "And I believe that it's time that you were taken down."

There was a moment during which the words just hung in the air and then Ginu disappeared from the spot where he stood and reappeared in front of Kuwabara, who just barely summoned a bit of spirit energy to combat Ginu's kick.

* * *

><p>"Whoa," Yusuke muttered. "I thought only Hiei could do that." He nudged Hiei lightly. "Look, Hiei, he's stealing your moves."<p>

Hiei spared a moment to glare at Yusuke, a facial expression that perfectly covered the wince of pain that almost appeared when Yusuke jarred his left hand. The dull throb was back, now almost eating into his hand, and for a moment, Hiei almost wished that Riko had been able to heal it. The thought, '_Don't be stupid_' ran around his conscious for a moment, until Hiei noticed Kurama looking at him with a slight frown.

Turning his head away, Hiei looked at Kuwabara and said coldly, "If he doesn't actually do something with whatever he knows soon, he's going to end up dead either way." He allowed a slight smile to cross his face. "Which might be an improvement."

* * *

><p>"If you were real," Kuwabara growled, bracing his feet as best he could. "Then how come you haven't used your wolf at all? Why is it sitting all out of the way and safe? How come you leapt to protect your little wolf? Why would you throw yourself in front of a spirit-summoned animal?" He pushed forward, his orange fire crackling against Ginu. "Why would you care about a wolf that much, huh?"<p>

Ginu said nothing, but continued to push forward, his mouth going tight.

"I'll tell why!" And now Kuwabara's spirit energy exploded forward. "It's because you're not real! _You_ are the spirit summoning. That wolf over there is the real Ginu!"

Almost immediately, the audience began to talk, starting with Koto, "Uh… does that mean I'm actually supposed to be counting for the wolf? Cause I'm not quite sure if he's down or not." Beneath her blabber, there was a chorus of disbelief.

"What?"

"Did you get that?"

"No, did you?"

"The guy's crazy! Finish him off, Ginu!"

"I don't know. He sounds pretty confident."

* * *

><p>"Hey."<p>

Kurama glanced over at Yusuke, who was frowning at the stage. "Something wrong, Yusuke?"

"Why is Kuwabara going crazy?"

Ducking his head to hide a smile, Kurama took a moment to get his face straight. "He's not crazy," He said finally. "If Kuwabara is right – and he does have good instincts for things like this – then it's possible that Ginu is part of the Beast Tribe." As he spoke, Kuwabara pushed forward again, and this time Ginu had to break away to avoid being cut.

"The Beast Tribe?"

Nodding, Kurama looked at Hiei. "Yes. Have you heard of them, Hiei?" It wasn't really a question. The Beast Tribe was rather well-known, at least in legend if not in actuality. There was little chance that Hiei hadn't heard of them at some point or another, so Kurama was relatively sure that his answer would be yes. The way he answered though, would tell him something more about how he was feeling.

As if he knew what Kurama was thinking, Hiei just pushed his hands deeper into his pockets and replied calmly, "Yes. I have."

_Stubborn fool,_ Kurama thought. He turned back to Yusuke and the stage. Kuwabara had charged the wolf Ginu, who had backed away to the edge of the stage, but had been blocked by the spirit Ginu, who was engaging him in another standoff, this time with a grim look of determination on his face. It seemed that he was starting to realize what danger he was in.

"The Beast Tribe," Kurama began, keeping his voice light and soft, "is a group of very special and rare demons. Most demons, as you know, have both a demonic form and a disguised form. We tend to stick to our disguised forms around humans so as to prevent attention. Hiei is a good example of this." Hiei grunted. "The Beast Tribe has similar properties, except their normal state is that of an animal." Kurama nodded at the wolf Ginu. "Such as a wolf."

Slowly, Yusuke nodded. "Okay, that…kinda makes sense." Under his breath, he muttered, "Though I can't believe Kuwabara figured that out."

"He's a very lucky person," Hiei said dryly. "He must get that from you, right, detective?"

Yusuke grinned. "Hey, for me, it's skill." He looked at Kuwabara again. "And that spirit – illusion – thingy? Is that a Beast Power thing, too?"

Spirit Ginu broke the standoff with a kick that brought Kuwabara to his knees. He brought his sword up just in time to block another blow and rolled out of the way to recover more on the side.

After a moment of watching the tussle, Kurama replied, slower, "No, not quite. The Beast Tribe is normally known for their strength. Even without any power, they're very strong, and most of the time, most Beast Tribe members chose to use their spirit energy to enhance their strength, so a lot become close-quarter fighters. What Ginu is doing…" Kurama shook his head. "That's a form of projection and illusion-making. It's not a normal Beast Tribe thing." His eyes glinted slightly with suppressed interest. "I wonder who he learned it from."

There was silence for a few moments as Kuwabara and spirit Ginu exchanged more blows, while in the background, wolf Ginu's tail lashed back and forth.

* * *

><p>"I don't understand, sir," Ogre complained. "Why is Ginu doing this? Wouldn't it be easier just to fight straight on? And doesn't doing it like this take more time and energy?"<p>

Grimly, Koenma nodded. He played with a senbei cracker wrapper lying in front of him, contemplating the situation. It would take much more energy to send off a spirit projection to fight – especially if it didn't have any special skills. Still though, going about it this way would give the user an extra layer of protection. Unless his opponent had senses like Kuwabara's, it would be very hard for them to realize that the person they were attacking wasn't even real.

"Still though," Koenma said aloud. "Going about a battle this way, especially in the Blood Games…" He shook his head while Ogre looked at him, confused. "You'd either have to be very stupid or very strong."

Ogre blinked. "What do you mean, sir?"

Impatiently, Koenma waved a chubby toddler arm as he explained, "While this skill is a lot more defensively viable because it will take your opponent time to realize that you are not actually the one fighting, it also costs a lot more energy, which makes it relatively useless unless all you want to do is show off or unless you're very strong and want to hide that fact."

"Which one is it, sir?"

Highly irritated now, Koenma jumped onto the table and then bonked Ogre on the head. "If I knew that I wouldn't be thinking this hard, would I, numbskull?" He settled back into his chair and crossed his arms, frowning at the stage.

* * *

><p>Kuwabara paused for a moment and then began to back up rapidly.<p>

"What's this? After making a shocking statement and then backing it up with some very nice defense, Kuwabara is suddenly retreating! Is he chickening out after all? Was this all just a show?"

Kuwabara glared at Koto and barked, "Shut up! I am not chickening out!"

"Then what are you doing?"

"None of your business!"

"I'm the commentator!" Koto returned indignantly. "Of course, it's my business."

"I –"

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke's voice came as a complete surprise to the orange-headed young man. "Concentrate on your damn fight! Turn, you idiot, turn!"

The warning came just a fraction of a moment too late, and Ginu's kick struck Kuwabara's right shoulder, causing a shock that caused the sword to fizzle out of existence. Kuwabara dropped to his knees in pain, but managed to raise an arm to block the next attack.

"How's this?" Spirit Ginu's voice was now mixed with a slightly guttural tone, very different from his previous refined quality. He pressed Kuwabara back, spirit energy now flowing abundantly from him. "You think that knowing makes any difference? You're still going to die here, and I will still win this tournament all by myself."

Very slowly, Kuwabara let himself get pushed back. It was always easier to use someone's force against them – he'd learned that very early on when he'd gotten in with the local gangs, and it was something that he still used, especially against amateurs or those who were overconfident.

_Wait for it…_ Kuwabara counted seconds as a drop of sweat trickled slowly down his forehead. _Wait…_ Kuwabara leaned back just a bit more. It wouldn't be long before he actually started feeling the pressure._ Now!_

Kuwabara kicked at spirit Ginu's legs and as he jumped nimbly aside, ran around him. As he did the sword extended dramatically and within a few broad leaps, Kuwabara sliced down, the sword cutting cleanly into one of wolf Ginu's shoulders.

Wolf Ginu, who had, until that point, been watching intensely, his tail lashing back and forth, howled in pain. The glazed concentration in his eyes broke, and he collapsed into a heap, panting in pain. Behind Kuwabara, the spirit conjugation of Ginu disappeared.

"Yes!" Kuwabara put his arms up in victory, taking a moment to soak in glory and then turned to look at Koto. "Hey! Fox lady, he's down."

Koto blinked and then shook her head. "Uh – yeah –" She ran over to Ginu. "It seems that Kuwabara wasn't as crazy as we thought, folks. From what your lovely announcer can see, it seems as if this really is the real Ginu, and he is down! One…"

"Hey, did you see that, Urameshi?" Kuwabara spun around and started gesturing at himself. "Did you see that?"

"Oh fuck…" Yusuke muttered, covering his face for a moment before cupping his hand around his mouth and yelling, "Stop making a fool of yourself, you moron!"

"Three…four…"

"What? Urameshi, you – ah!"

Something hard with muscle and roughened fur rammed into Kuwabara's back, followed by a sharp sensation in the shoulder of Kuwabara's right arm – teeth –

"AH!" Kuwabara yelled and turned, flapping his arms crazily until Ginu, who was clinging with his one undamaged, clawed paw and his strong wolf teeth to Kuwabara's back and shoulder, was sent flying off. There was a tearing noise that sounded clearly throughout the arena – the sound of Ginu's fangs ripping through Kuwabara's shoulder muscle – and then a scream from both participants as Ginu landed on his hurt leg and the pain registered in Kuwabara's brain.

Koto, who had skipped back just in time to avoid the collision now pulled the microphone to her mouth. "Oh! And we have yet another turnaround, ladies and gentlemen! Ginu has managed to get up despite a decimated foreleg and has now dealt Kuwabara with some serious damage. It seems that after dropping the illusion, Ginu is even stronger than before! Can Kuwabara, who apparently is a big sword user, deal with not being able to use his dominant hand?"

Breathing hard, Kuwabara rolled to the side and tried to push himself up. His shoulder stung with every movement, but it was manageable. And besides, how could he live it down if he just quit in the middle like this? Urameshi would never let him forget it – _And shorty would get way too much ammo. And I'd look bad in front of Keiko and Botan and sis and Yukina – _Kuwabara shot to his feet. _Yukina! Yukina's here! Oh fuck, I cannot lose!_

Ginu was getting to his feet as well. It was made a little harder for him, because he had to keep the injured leg above the ground, a trait that would make fighting hard. His ears were flat against his skull, and a low growl was rumbling from his chest. Without warning, he launched himself at Kuwabara again, using the power of his back legs to throw himself at his opponent's chest.

There was a moment when Yusuke winced, sure that his rival was about to get crushed into the ground, when Botan and Ogre both covered their eyes, when Koenma was about to conclude that Ginu's ploy must have been to hide his strength –

And then power erupted from Kuwabara, a coursing orange fire that solidified in his left hand and left an afterimage in the air as it sliced through Ginu, who howled in rage and pain and then dropped to the ground.

* * *

><p>"Did he win, sir?" Ogre asked, peeking out from behind his blue fingers.<p>

Shaking his head, Koenma leaned back in his chair. "Yes, he did."

Sighing in relief, Ogre put his hands down and looked at his boss. "I guess that means that Ginu was just cocky, huh, sir?"

Slowly, as he watched Kuwabara turn in victory and walk back to the rest of the team, Koenma shook his head. "No. No, Ginu was strong."

Ogre frowned. "Then, sir, what –"

A smile gradually crossed Koenma's face. "Ginu was strong," Koenma repeated. "But Kuwabara was stronger."

End of Chapter 37

* * *

><p>Yay, Kuwabara ~! Leave me lots of reviews. :D<p> 


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N:** Late in the day it might be, but it's still the day I said it would come out!

**Upload Date:** 5/5/12

**Next Upload Date**: 5/12/12

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 38

"We're here!" Botan announced as she threw open the door with one hand. In the other one, which was also outstretched, she held a grocery bag bulging with snacks and drinks. "And we're ready to celebrate your first – Oh no!" Botan dropped the bag and rushed over to the couch, kneeling by it and its inhabitant. "What did you guys do to Riko?"

"We didn't do anything, Botan. She's just asleep," Yusuke snapped as he walked over and rummaged through the bag on the floor. "Oh, yes! You got more senbei crackers." He grabbed a handful and plopped onto the end of the wraparound couch without Riko. "Oh man," He mumbled around the crunching and wrapper crackling. "These are so good."

Keiko frowned as she walked in and carefully placed her load on the coffee table. "Yusuke. Try to be a little more polite."

Around another bite, Yusuke said, "Hey, I just spent an hour watching Riko, Hiei, and Kuwabara beat up demons while I steadily got hotter and hotter in that little glass bubble, and I still haven't been able to throw off any of that stress." He emphasized the last word with another ginormous bite.

"Yukina!" As soon as the ice demoness walked in, Kuwabara sprang up immediately from the floor, where he'd been sitting near Riko's head. "Hi! How are you? Did you see me fight? Wasn't I cool? Ow –" Kuwabara winced as his arm jarred against the coffee table. With Riko still out, all he'd been able to do was to create a sling around it.

Concerned, Yukina took his arm. "Are you alright? Does it hurt?" She turned and rummaged in her own bag, pulling out some bottles with herbs in them. "Here, I'll make you some pain relief tea."

"Ah – I'll come with you," Kuwabara said hurriedly, flowing Yukina as she walked to the kitchenette.

Shizuru, who had followed Yukina in, suddenly shivered slightly and looked around. "I think I'll go with them," She announced, before striding after her brother. _Something very bad is about to happen in that room,_ She thought.

"…Hiei," Kurama said, his voice mildly resigned. "Please try not to set fire to the place. I don't think that the administrators are going to cover that and I would rather not explain to Koenma why he's getting a bill for a burnt hotel room."

Next to the window, Hiei released his tight grip on the windowsill, which had, for a few moments, been so powerful that it had caused the aching pain in his right hand to disappear.

"And Botan," Kurama added after a moment's assurance that Hiei wasn't going to explode at the sight of his precious sister walking off with someone he highly disapproved of. "I don't believe that shaking Riko will wake her up."

"Eh?" Botan paused in her motion, looking at the dangling Riko she was holding by the shoulders and then back at Kurama. "But –"

Swallowing, Yusuke waved a cracker around and snapped, "Just let her go, Botan. She's not going to wake up right now."

A bit worriedly, Keiko perched on the couch next to Yusuke and peered at Riko. "What's wrong with her? Is she alright?"

Shaking his head, Yusuke crunched, "She just pushed herself too far, the idiot. I don't think there's anything actually wrong with her." He peered at Kurama. "Is there? 'Cause I'm pretty damn sure that she was not in pain when she was still awake."

Like Yusuke, Kurama shook his head. "It's unlikely. Based on what I've seen, Riko's healing powers act involuntarily on herself, which means that in times of dire wounds, as a protection mechanism, her body will just shut down for recuperation and self-healing." He gestured at the sleeping Riko, who had flopped lightly onto the couch once Botan had let her go. "Such as now." He checked his watch. "Still, she shouldn't be sleeping for too much longer."

As if on cue, Riko twitched and rolled over. Unfortunately for her, she rolled towards the side where the couch ended. Luckily though, Botan was kneeling next to the spot where her head had lain, so, although the rest of her body got quite a jolt, Riko's head received a relatively soft landing. Unluckily, the place where it landed belonged to a very jumpy girl.

"Ah! Riko!" Botan yelped, jerking up. As she did so, Riko's head bounced up and then rolled onto the ground, facedown.

There was a pause and then, "Ow."

Another moment passed as Botan started fussing and then Riko managed to get one arm under herself and push herself to a slightly upright position. Very slowly, she turned her head and looked around. "Where am I? What's going on? What happened to the match?" And then, suddenly, as if her own words had sparked a light in her mind, she sat bolt upright, almost knocking over the table. "Hiei! Where is he? Where –"

Riko fell silent as Kurama nodded towards the window, where, surprisingly, Hiei still sat, one arm in his pocket, the other one resting casually on his knee. He looked at Riko and then grunted and looked back out the window.

_I couldn't heal him. I couldn't even make a dent. I couldn't -_

Struggling, Riko got to her feet and then plopped onto the couch, stomach first, arms dangling over the back. "Come here," She ordered, body weak, but voice still strong.

"Riko," Kurama began, a worried look crossing his face. "Maybe you shouldn't…"

"Yeah, Riko," Yusuke said as he offered the girl a cracker and scooted over so that Keiko would have more room. "Remember the 'I don't faint'?"

After directing a light scowl at Yusuke, Riko shook her head. "I can do this –"

"Oh yeah!" Yusuke interrupted. "I've heard that one before." He waved his hands dramatically in the air to add emphasis. "'I'm fine. I don't faint. Neh!' Hey!" Yusuke ducked as an embroidered pillow came flying his way. "Those pillows are probably very expensive!"

Grabbing another one, Riko hugged it to herself. "Yeah, they probably are." She sighed. "I'm fine. It's been – what?" She looked around. "A couple hours?"

"Barely an hour," Kurama replied. "Would you like something to drink? I believe Yukina and Kuwabara are making some pain relieving tea."

"No, I'm fine." But she was now frowning slightly. _Barely an hour… _She sighed mentally. _That probably means that I haven't finished recovering yet. But still._ Riko looked up at Hiei, who was still determinedly looking outside. _I bet that my thing from before will have worn off._ "Hiei, come here." She paused. "Or you know, Kurama, you could carry me over."

For a moment, Kurama considered further talk to try to dissuade her from the task. After all, she had just gotten up from a very deep sleep by falling onto the floor after having been in what looked to be a very draining fight. _And she wasn't even a fighter, so it had probably taken even more out of her than it would have taken one of us._ The thought seriously drifted in Kurama's mind for a moment, but then he remembered the fainting incident. It was unlikely Riko would listen.

Turning, Kurama looked at Hiei. "Hiei," He said, voice very patient. _I know what you're thinking. Go to her._

"It's useless," Hiei said coldly. "I do not need a healer."

…_Okay, let's see. How do I get a prideful demon to let me heal him? _Riko wondered. _Well, last time I threw an orange at him, but somehow I don't think it'll work quite as well this time…_

As she pondered the problem, Keiko leaned over to Yusuke and whispered, "What's going on?"

"Well," Yusuke began. "You see, you know how during Hiei's fight, he…"

His voice gradually faded to Riko's ears as she focused on the problem at hand: how to deal with Hiei. There were numerous ways that this could go from her using force – very unlikely given both her weakened state and the fact that Hiei was a fighter and she was far from one – using diplomacy – also unlikely, given past results – or…

_What else could I do?_ Riko wondered. _Pride comes from having a reputation. And having a reputation comes from what others think of you, so…_

Riko cleared her throat. All heads – except of course, for Hiei's – turned to look at her. "Keiko?" The school girl blinked in surprise. "Would you mind helping Yukina and Kuwabara with the tea?" She paused. "And take Botan with you, please." She paused again. "And don't come back in until you either hear me collapse or I call you."

"Uh…" Keiko said as she got up. "Sure. Come on, Botan."

As the two walked towards the kitchenette-dining area, which was separated from the living room by a slim door, Riko looked at Yusuke and Kurama. "You, too. Go have some tea or something."

The two looked at each other. "Do you think they'll kill each other?" Yusuke asked.

Without the slightest hint of a smile, Kurama replied, "Possibly, but unfortunately, I believe there's a greater risk that Riko will kill _us_ if we continue to stand here talking about them like they aren't in the same room listening to us."

Yusuke looked at Riko, who gave him a very dry look, and then Hiei. "Okay, let's run." He got up, tossed an extra cracker to Riko and then scurried out with Kurama, the door closing behind them with the smallest click.

After a complete silence broken only by Riko's crunching, Riko tossed the wrapper over her shoulder onto the coffee table and dusted the crumbs from her fingers. They landed on the carpet, somewhere, Riko noted, that they were very unlikely to appear from again. _Oh well,_ She thought, dismissively. _I'll take care of the cleaning later._ She looked at Hiei.

He hadn't moved from his position at the window, and was still sitting there, one knee bent up, his left arm resting on it, the other leg stretched out, and his right hand in his pocket, completely hidden up to the elbow. His head had turned to face the outside again, and there was no hint that he was going to turn back anytime soon.

_Still,_ Riko thought. _Just the fact that he's still here means that he has to be in a lot of pain, or he would have never stayed this long._ She looked at her legs. It was much more laziness than anything else, but she still really didn't feel like walking. _I wonder if I could just shoot my power into him._ Turning her head, she judged the distance between her and the window. _…No. I don't think so._

"So." Riko folded her arms over the back of the couch and looked up at the ceiling. "I can either crawl over to you, because I don't feel like walking, or you can come here." She paused and then added, "As a side note, pain and injuries are a sign of weakness, so if you want to be seen as weak, you should stay where you are. If not, then you should let me heal you and then you can become your normal, tough, strong self."

"I don't need a healing. Pain and injuries are only weaknesses if you let them affect you. They mean nothing to –"

With a sigh and a slight movement, Riko tilted half her body over the couch, leaning precariously over the edge. Hiei's eyes flickered to her, and the slightest frown crossed his face. His eyes widened as Riko pushed herself just a little further and tumbled over the edge. She landed with a loud thump on the floor, and all conversation in the other room suddenly paused.

"I'm fine!" Riko yelled. "I did not collapse."

"Then what's with the thump?" Yusuke yelled back.

"I don't like walking!"

"…Keiko, I want more tea."

Riko waited until the conversation restarted before turning her attention back to Hiei, although she kept her eyes lowered so as to seem unthreatening. She laced her hands under her chin and examined the fine carpet thread. There was a very long silence, and finally, Riko sighed. "I can't do this," She muttered as she forced herself into a sitting position and crossed her legs. Tilting her head up, she caught Hiei's gaze. "My back hurts. And I don't feel like rolling or crawling any closer. So –" Breaking off, Riko raised her eyebrows and stared.

After a moment of long silence, Hiei disappeared from the windowsill and appeared in front of Riko, his right arm extended.

It seemed like the darkness had spread and become deeper. There was something almost petrifying about the black fire, as if it was still alive, still trying to eat away at Hiei's arm.

For a moment, Riko could only stare. It was strange, the feeling that the wound conjured in her heart, something much darker than disgust or dislike, something almost like –

_Fear?_ Riko's eyes widened, and then, forcefully, she closed her eyes, reaching out blindly to grab Hiei's arm with both hands.

Purple sparks trickled from her palms, and clung to the black sparks –

Riko flinched back, eyes flying open, as the blackness attacked her, sending a spark of pain straight into her mind. _What the fudging crap –_ Grinding her teeth, Riko closed her eyes again and bore down on the darkness. She could see where it was slowly eating away at Hiei's nerves, keeping him both from utilizing the arm properly and dipping him in a large pool of pain.

Once again, Riko first coated Hiei's nerves to prevent the pain from harming Hiei. Then, she glared at the black sparks again. After a few deep breaths, she sent another pulse of purple into Hiei's arm, attacking the darkness with a vicious air that gradually ate them all up.

_Yes._ Riko leaned back, sweating slightly from the exertion. Her vision blurred briefly and then slowly returned. _Yes, that's –_

Her eyes widened. _Damn. I missed one._ Riko sent one purple spark after the black one, and after a brief contest, the purple one swallowed the black and –

_Another one?_

Sweat rolled down the side of Riko's neck as black sparks began to reappear, one by one, sparsely at first, but gradually, as her power slowed down, growing thicker and thicker. They began to attack the purple coatings over Hiei's nerves. Hurriedly, Riko reinforced the painkillers. It would last for at least a few hours, while she dealt with the main issue.

Purple sparks flew around Hiei's arm until finally, dizzy and half-blind, Riko realized something that she had been completely sure was impossible.

_I can't do it,_ She thought, the world spinning around her.

_I can't heal him_.

End of Chapter 38

* * *

><p>Lemme know what you thought!<p> 


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N**: So this one was actually started pretty early, but...finished late. Also, it's pretty disjointed and cracky and long and...I don't know. I still hope that you guys enjoy it and look forward to 40~ (Wow, I can't believe I'm that far.)

**Publish Date: **5/12/12

**Next Upload Date**: 5/19/12

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 39

"Did you enjoy the show, Jirou?"

Jirou Uehara, son of Uehara Sr., the top bidder for the Urameshi Team, glanced back at his father. He looked very much like Uehara Sr., with the same brown-black hair, dark, slender eyebrows, and pale skin, albeit Uehara Sr.'s was more lined. Only his eyes were different – a dark blue, instead of his father's brown.

He was dressed in a silver suit over a black, button-up shirt with silver buttons, looking every bit like the young CEO-in-training that he was. Absently, he adjusted his sleeve. "I did. It was quite interesting."

"Koenma's pets," Uehara Sr. remarked. And then, "Did you bet on anyone?"

The young man shook his head. "Not this time."

His father raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

Jirou shrugged, eyes revealing nothing. "The only one worth betting on is whoever you chose." He looked back out the window, at the noon sky. "Everyone in that arena knew that. They're going to be watching you like hawks now to see whether or not you destroy or save them?"

Uehara Sr. smiled. He took a light sip from his cup and then asked in a neutral tone, "Which do you think I should do?"

Again, Jirou shrugged. "Either way, you'll make the same amount of money."

"Oh, but it's not all about the money, Jirou. You should know that." Uehara Sr. swirled his cup, creating a mini-whirlpool in its depths. "It's about the entertainment factor." He looked into the liquid, his reflection gradually becoming clearer in its dark contents as the substance settled. "Now, I wonder," He murmured. "Which would be more fun? Watching the expressions on the other teams' faces as they fall victim to a _human_ team?" A cruel note entered his voice. "Or watching the expressions on Urameshi's team as each one gets ripped to shreds?"

Slowly, Jirou glanced back at his father. There was an almost manic gleam in the middle-aged man's eyes, as if years of corruption and blackmailing had finally driven him insane. He returned his gaze to the window.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>I can't believe this. <em>Purple lights were starting to dance in front of Riko's eyes, a sure sign that she was about to faint. _Impossible. Completely –_

"KURAMA!"

There was a moment of silence and then the door to the kitchenette burst open, the entire group inside spilling out, Kurama in the lead. "Riko? What's –"

"I want wine!" Riko snapped, very aware in the back of her mind that she sounded like a spoiled little kid, minus the fact that most little kids probably didn't ask for wine. "Order me some!"

Kurama's eyes flicked from Riko's scowling face, the sweat rolling down her skin, and Hiei's still blackened arm, which he saw for only a moment before Hiei stuffed it quickly into his pocket again, scowling and looking away. A slight frown crinkled his eyebrows, but Kurama quickly smoothed away before it could be registered by either the irritated Hiei or the even more irritated Riko. He stepped further into the room, asking as he did so, "Why do you want wine?"

A vein twitched in Riko's forehead. "Kuwabara!"

The orange-headed young man jumped to attention, almost knocking into the frame of the door. Behind him, Shizuru shook his head and muttered, "Moron."

"Get me a phone!" Riko roared.

Kuwabara looked around hurriedly. "I – uh -"

"A phone!" Riko snapped again. The sparks seemed to be increasing in intensity, blocking out the images in front of her eyes. "Wine! Get me some wine, dammit!" Pain sparked in her hands. She had punched the ground without even realizing it.

It was possible that the tantrum would have continued, but luckily for everyone, the pain broke through Riko's weak threshold. She slowly became aware of the sweat soaking into her battle clothes, which she was still wearing and her breathing, which was very close to hyperventilation at this point. Riko closed her eyes and lowered her head into her lap.

_Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit. How is this possible? How can I not heal something?_

"Riko? Riko?"

_It's always like this._

After a long minute, Riko lifted her head and then tilted backwards and flopped onto her back. Looking up at the ceiling, she breathed for a moment and then said, "Involuntarily, I heal myself. If I have power left, it goes into my wellbeing. Wine inhibits that response. If I drink it, my power will return faster, because it won't try to heal me first. I need power." She closed her eyes. "Please, Kurama. I – please? I need power."

The red haired demon's eyes softened a bit. "I'll order you some." He walked back into the kitchenette, where there was a small, white, wall phone.

Yusuke stepped back to let him pass and then raised an eyebrow at Riko. "Whoa, Riko, what was that?"

Opening her eyes, Riko shrugged. "I don't like failing," She replied, keeping her voice even.

"You failed?"

Riko's eyes shifted to Hiei's hidden arm, a look that only served to deepen Hiei's scowl. He stood up and in an instant, was sitting by the window again.

The three girls and Kuwabara looked back and forth between the two, uncomprehending.

"Riko?" Botan asked, uncertainly, crossing carefully over to kneel besides the other girl.

…_See, now if I were a reasonable person,_ Riko thought, _this right now would be the time to ask for help since I'm both too weak to heal and –_ Riko broke off the thought before she could finish it. It had to be that she was too weak and not yet recovered from the fight._ It has to be._

She took a deep breath. She should ask for help. _Of course, I shouldn't have tried to heal him in this state anyways. And besides, if I ask for help, Hiei would kill me._ Riko drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them, staring at the carpeted floor. _Still though…_

"Hey, Botan?" Lifting her head, Riko caught Botan's eyes. "You can heal, right?"

A puzzled look crossed Botan's face, and she glanced at Kurama who had come back from calling for room service. He shook his head. "Yes, I can. But why –"

"Have you ever heard of a living wound?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Red wine to 426. Two bottles."<p>

Casually, Jirou flipped through his newspaper until the next words, "Room 426? Isn't that the Urameshi Team room?" He lowered the paper and looked over at the desk, where two attendants were gossiping while they worked.

"Oh, yeah. Come to think of it, it is." As she took the bottles from the fridge, the attendant shook her head. "Who would have thought that they'd be drinkers?"

…_Interesting…_ Jirou stood up and walked over to the counter, waiting for a moment before leaning forward with a smile.

"Excuse me?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>The frown on Botan's face deepened deepened. "I'm not sure. What do you mean by living wound?"<p>

"A wound that fights back?"

Botan blinked. "Uh…I don't think so." She glanced behind her at Kuwabara and his pretty companion. "Have you ever heard of that, Yukina?"

Now it was Riko's turn to frown. She murmured, "Yukina?" and watched as the demure, young demon stepped out of the kitchenette.

"She's a healer," Botan whispered back.

_A healer,_ Riko thought as she examined the demoness. _Like me._ Her eyes flicked over to Hiei, who had stiffened the moment that she had asked Botan her first question and even more so when Botan had mentioned Yukina. _They do have history,_ She thought. _I wonder…_ When she'd met Hiei, she had assumed – and been told – that the reason that Hiei didn't like her was because she was human. But now…_ I wonder if it's because I'm a healer_. Her eyes returned to Yukina. _Like her._

"Did you say a living wound, Ms. Riko?" Yukina asked, kneeling down next to them. "Could you…expound on that?"

…_Wonderful. And now I've brought his former… whatever into this as well. Hiei is really going to kill me._ "Like, a wound that fights back or regenerates." _Funny hearing the word 'regenerate' in the terms of a freaking wound,_ Riko thought, a bit of her former irritation returning. It was nothing like the temper that had flared before, but the back of her mind was beginning to yell, _Man, I can't believe I'm asking for help with healing…_ and _I wonder what this girl did to Hiei… I am so dead…_ and of course, _How could I fail to heal something? HOW?_

"- never heard of such a thing before," Yukina was saying.

"Where'd you see it?" Botan asked.

Riko stiffened. Hiei, who had been obviously tense and irritated up to that point, had now swiveled his head to glare at Riko over Yukina and Botan's heads. _…Okay… I guess this is the point where I stop asking for help._ "It was just –"

She was cut off by a sharp knock on the door and then a call in a slightly husky male voice, "Room service."

_Oh yay,_ Riko thought, almost sighing in relief. _The wine's here._ She turned towards the door and then paused, looking down at her bent legs. _…Hm…_ Riko looked back again. "Kurama, Kuwabara –"

"I got it," Kuwabara grumbled, striding to the door in five long steps.

"Wow," Yusuke said, impressed. "You've got him trained."

Before Riko, who was now grinning lightly, could say anything, Kuwabara opened the door. Riko's eyes widened. Botan lifted a hand to her mouth to cover her shock, and even Shizuru raised an eyebrow at the newcomer.

…_Even with Kurama and Hiei, I have to say I'm impressed,_ Riko thought as she looked the young man over.

He had switched from his white-silver suit into dark, navy blue pants and a dark red sweater over a collared, pin-striped, pink-and-red shirt, which brought out the brown sheen of his hair, giving it an almost red-gold glow.

Jirou's eyes flicked around the room for a moment before he reached into the cart that he was pushing and pulled out two dark bottles. "I have two bottles of red wine for Mr. Kurama," He said, keeping his voice light, but crisp. His eyes settled on the group of girls sitting in a circle on the ground, focusing for a moment on Riko and then moved on to Hiei, in the windowsill, followed by brief, but searching looks at Kurama, who had stepped forward, Yusuke, leaning against the kitchenette door, and finally Kuwabara who was still holding the door open. "Shall I come in and serve it?"

Botan replied before anyone else could even comprehend the question. "Yes, that would be _lovely_," She said, smiling as she got up. "The kitchen's this way."

"…Serve it?" Riko murmured under her breath. "I'm gonna be the only one drinking any." She shook her head and twisted a bit so that she could lean against the back of the couch. _Oh Botan, you flirt…_

"Excuse me, sir?" Riko glanced up at Kurama, who was looking into the kitchenette and frowning slightly at the newcomer. "May I ask what your name is?"

"Of course," Jirou replied, pouring the wine into the glasses as skillfully as if he actually was a professional server. He offered the glass to Kurama, who shook his head, and nodded at Riko. Carefully, Jirou crossed the floor and handed the glass to Riko, who took it and gave a little sniff.

…_Ah, the beautiful scent of fermented grapes…_ Riko thought and tilted the glass back.

For a moment, Jirou simply watched her, and then, as she lowered the glass, he asked, "Do you drink often?"

Riko blinked at him. "Uh. I –"

"_Excuse me, sir._" Kurama's frown had deepened. "Please leave."

Standing up, Jirou looked Kurama over, much more thoroughly than he had at first, taking in the delicate features, the determined green eyes, and the decidedly guarded position of the fox demon. Finally, he crossed his arms, the almost playful air that had been in his blue eyes freezing over. "I am Uehara. Jirou Uehara."

…_Oh dear._ And Riko suddenly became aware of how she must look, sitting on the ground, drinking wine, her hair and clothes probably mussed and stained with sweat. _…This is definitely not going to help my reputation._ And then, _What is the son of such a rich guy doing working in a hotel?_ In the background, she could hear Botan asking Kurama a question and Kurama's soft reply. To Jirou, Riko tilted her head to the side and asked calmly, "Did you have some business with us?"

"Father is wondering whether it'll be more entertaining to kill you or save you."

Riko felt her eyes grow wide. _Oh dear… that might cause some issues._

"Excuse me?" That was Yusuke, voice belligerent. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Jirou glanced at Yusuke, who was scowling at him and then returned his gaze to Kurama. "As your highest bidder, Father essentially owns this team and could win a substantial amount of money betting either that you will lose terribly or that you will win, so he's attempting to figure out which would be more entertaining."

"And you're here to scout?" Hiei asked, voice cold. He'd turned away from the window and was giving Jirou the same cold look that he normally reserved for underclass demons.

"Of course not," Jirou said, his tone dismissive. "I'm just here to meet you."

"May we ask what you plan to say to Mr. Uehara?" Kurama asked, his voice and tone both very delicate and polite.

Jirou shrugged. "I didn't plan on saying anything. Would you like me to?"

"Tell him to fuck off," Yusuke snapped, irritation burning high in his eyes.

"Yeah," Kuwabara added. "We don't need help."

Almost simultaneously, both Shizuru and Keiko smacked their respective brother/childhood friend.

"Don't be stupid," Shizuru snapped.

"Do you want to get killed?" Keiko added.

"Ow!" Kuwabara patted his head cautiously. "What the hell, sis?"

"Yeah, what the fuck, Keiko?" Yusuke snapped. He rubbed his perfectly gelled head carefully. "I think you bruised my brain."

Next to the window, Hiei muttered, "What brain?"

"…Wanna say that again, Hiei? Come on, I dare you."

Hiei turned to stare at Yusuke. "Bring it on. I –"

"Now, Hiei," Kurama began.

"Don't try to stop him, Kurama," Yusuke snapped, jerking out of Keiko's grip and cracking his knuckles. "It's about time I get my fight. I've been working towards this for weeks."

Hiei snorted. "I can't imagine it helping much."

"Now kids," Botan said, putting out a hand to each side.

Shizuru chuckled softly to herself. "This should be interesting." She eased over to the couch, next to Yukina and propped her elbow onto the back of the couch and her head on top of her hand. "Wanna take bets, Yukina?"

The ice demoness blinked and then shook her head, a bit shyly. "No, thank you. I'm not sure how to gamble."

"Oh that's alright." Shizuru grinned. "I'll teach you."

* * *

><p>For a moment, Riko forgot that her glass was empty and tried to take a sip. <em>…Dammit.<em> She looked up at Jirou, who was watching Kurama and Botan, who were now standing in between Kuwabara, Yusuke and Hiei, as they tried to sort out the problem. "Hey." Jirou glanced down. "You wanna get me some more wine?"

Jirou blinked at her. "None of you are concerned about the prospect that my father might kill you?"

"Well one, he can't see what's happening, and you said that you wouldn't tell him anything," Riko replied, looking rather forlornly down into her glass. "And two, if we're judging the team's concerns…" She looked back up at Jirou. "_Kurama_ probably is pretty concerned, I'm mildly concerned, but since we only make up two of a group of five…it really comes down to those three." She jerked her head towards the rest of the group. "And Kuwabara's an idiot, Hiei's extremely prideful, and Yusuke's a combination." A slight smile crossed her face, and she looked up at Jirou. "So no, we're not concerned.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Really? And why is that?"<p>

Jirou shrugged, avoiding his father's gaze. "They're interesting. And it would be a good challenge."

Uehara Sr. watched his son, tapping his fingers absently against the table. Finally, he shook his head. "Well then, I accept your premise." He lifted the wine glass and toasted his son. "I won't interfere with the Urameshi Team."

End of Chapter 39

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed this very long, crazy, mehish chapter.<p> 


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N**: ...I have nothing to say about this, except, please, please, please tell me what you think. If you read this, _please just leave me a review._ Please. Cause...I can't say anything about this chapter. I have no clue what to think about it.

**Publish Date**: 5/20/12

**Next Upload Date**: May 26, 2012

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 40

Kurama surveyed the room.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were lying on opposite sides of the room, a fortress of pillows piled on and around them, and Hiei had returned to his spot next to the window, which was half-occupied by another pillow that he glared at every so often. Yukina had wandered into the kitchen where she was attempting, with Keiko's helpful and Botan's enthusiastic, but very unhelpful help, to cook something edible, while Shizuru switched between teasing her brother and watching the fiasco in the kitchen, amused. Riko had managed to flip over the couch again and was lying on its pillow-empty depths with her eyes closed and a cloth over her face.

Smiling, Kurama walked over and lightly tapped Riko. When she grumpily pulled the cloth off her face, he offered her the second bottle of wine – she had emptied the first almost immediately after Jirou had left the room.

With little regard for manners, Riko snatched the bottle, which was, thanks to Kurama's smart thinking, already opened and took a few gulps before letting it drop to her side. She closed her eyes and leaned her head further back into the couch cushion, sighing. "That was exhausting."

"I liked your little speech," Kurama remarked, still smiling.

Riko made a face. "You have very good ears for someone who was, at the time, trying to keep two very opposed forces from trying to kill each other with pillows stuffed with goose feathers."

"Yes, well," Kurama replied, perching himself on the edge of the couch. "I am a fox." He settled himself and then asked, "How are you feeling?"

There was a long pause before Riko sighed and pushed herself up to an almost sitting position, leaning most of her weight against the back of the couch. "Tired." Her eyes flicked to the side closest to Hiei. "And useless."

His voice softening, Kurama murmured, "You can't do anything?"

"I stopped the pain," Riko replied, voice very bitter. "But I couldn't… he can't use his arm fully. And the wound is still attacking him. It's not spreading any further, but I have to renew the pain barrier every few hours." She lightly thumped the bottom of the wine bottle against the couch. "It's eating away at barriers right now, and I don't know how to fix it, and he's going to start feeling pain in about six hours, and he doesn't want me to ask for help, and I can't do anything, and – damn!" Riko bent forward, hiding her face with the empty hand.

Quietly, Kurama took the wine bottle from her and placed it on the coffee table. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Are you planning on asking Uehara for help?"

"Why do you think I was acting all cool?" Riko asked, voice sharp, but muffled. "I need him to think well of me so that I can use him – no offense to him. I just –" Riko shook her still bent head. "If I can't heal him, then maybe money can buy him a solution: a new arm, an artifact, a –" Her voice faltered. "- A better healer."

This time, Kurama didn't respond at all. He simply patted Riko lightly on the shoulder and then walked to lean against the wall where the window was placed. From his position, he could hear something about burning oil and too much sugar in a voice that sounded like Keiko's, along with a simultaneous voice resembling Botan's that was saying something about how it couldn't hurt.

A small smile tugged at Kurama's lips for a moment, before he focused on Hiei. He opened his mouth –

"I'm fine."

…_How pointless would it be, _Kurama wondered, _if I tried to continue this conversation?_ He considered the question for a moment and then shook his head. He at least had to try. "Hiei."

"I'm _fine_." Hiei's head was turned at such an angle that Kurama knew it would be impossible to look him in the eyes and ordain the truth of the words.

"Maybe, but she isn't."

Hiei snorted, a sound that almost made Kurama smile. "That's not my problem."

Leaning his head back, Kurama examined the ceiling as he remarked, "You should let her ask for help."

"I don't want her to ask for help, especially not of – _her_," Hiei snapped back, his tone shifting in a way that left Kurama in no doubt as to who 'her' was. "And she doesn't want to ask for help." He snorted again, though softer.

Kurama smiled. "Yes, she is quite prideful, isn't she?" He shook his head, old memories flooding up. "Ono would probably be proud to see his niece so much like him." His smile faded, and he turned to face Hiei directly. "Maybe we should go speak with Koenma or Genkai. Both of them can heal, and Genkai, in particular –"

"I'm not going to a father-fearing, pacifier-toting, ruler of _Spirit World_ for help," Hiei spat. "And certainly not a human."

Kurama stared at him for a moment and then pointed out the obvious, "Riko is human."

A bit of a silence in their corner followed. Yusuke and Kuwabara were starting to wake up, their noses twitching at the smell emanating from the kitchen. In the back of his mind, even Kurama noted that it was wonderful if a bit too sugary for his standards.

"No," He heard Keiko scold. "It's not done yet. If you eat it now, you're going to get sick. Just wait."

"Aw, Keiko, come on," Yusuke complained. "Don't be such a killjoy." There was a clanging noise and then a yelp from Keiko and a laugh from Yusuke. "Nice! Pretty good. A bit too sweet though."

Keiko turned to stare at Botan, who shrugged and took a swipe herself, causing Keiko to cry out again and protest. "It tastes okay to me."

The next words Kurama heard came from much closer: Hiei's voice, oddly neutral. "I wanted to see if she could do it. You're the one who's always telling me to give people chances. I did. She couldn't." An almost bitter laugh followed. "It's just as I expected. She's useless."

Momentarily, Kurama's vision blurred, and instead of the white ceiling, he saw a picture of his arm, a bit of poisonous demon skin on it, felt the poison slipping into his body, destroying his heart and lungs. Riko had saved his life. He saw Yusuke in pain, Kuwabara, in pain… and that tiny scar under Hiei's eye that _he_ had caused that had mysteriously disappeared the day that Hiei had visited Riko along with the rest of the group.

"She's not useless. You know that. She's done… a lot. You should try to help her."

Hiei's fist slammed into the windowsill, making a dull thump. It was loud, but fortunately for both of them, kitchen noise and a sleepy depression kept anyone but the two from noticing. "I am helping her, Kurama. What do you think would happen to her pride -" Hiei closed his eyes and clenched his teeth for a moment before continuing, more Hiei-ishly, "What do you think would happen if I got someone else to heal this? They fail, I can't use my arm, and someone else knows about my weakness?" He glared and then jumped off the windowsill, striding over to the door and exiting without another sound.

It took a moment for Kurama to realize that a shocked expression was probably not the best suit for his face. He turned away from the room, from the door and leaned against the windowsill, looking out the window.

"_I am helping her, Kurama."_ He sighed. _"What do you think would happen if I got someone else to heal this? They fail, I can't use my arm, and someone else knows about my weakness?"_ The most natural, most expected Hiei excuses.

And of course, _"What do you think would happen to her pride –"_

"– if Hiei got healed by someone who was not her," Kurama finished, voice soft and to himself. He closed his eyes and lowered his head.

_It would kill her._

After a moment, Kurama straightened and opened his eyes, gazing out at the green landscape outside. _And to think that Hiei saw that and I didn't._ He shook his head. _And to think that he cares._ With a sigh, he murmured, "I wonder why our group has so many prideful idiots."

"Yo, Kurama!" Kurama turned to see Kuwabara waving at him. "Come on. It's time to eat. Stop talking to yourself, and let's chow down." Kuwabara peered around. "And what happened to shorty?"

"Ah, who cares? He never eats anyways," Yusuke replied, waving off Hiei, before walking over and nudging Riko. "Hey, Riko, wake up. Food's ready."

A noise resembling a dying elephant escaped from Riko followed by, "I am completely willing to smash your head with this wine bottle if you keep nudging me."

Yusuke scooted away from the couch. "…Yeah, Riko says she doesn't want to eat."

"Really?" Yukina poked her head from the kitchenette. "Are you sure? You guys had a large fight today. You should eat something."

Instantly, Riko's head came up, and Kurama could almost see the thoughts swirling in her head.

_She's a healer. And she knows Hiei. What if Hiei goes to her? What if she can heal Hiei? That would be good right? Yes, it would, but no – but yes, but –_

"Riko?" Yukina asked again.

Riko jerked again. "Ah, yeah, I'll come eat." She shook her head and slowly dragged herself off the couch.

Shaking his head, Yusuke headed into the kitchenette, muttering, "Nice. When I ask her, she threatens me with a wine bottle. When Yukina asks her, she comes without even a protest."

"That's 'cause Yukina is an angel," Kuwabara informed Yusuke.

After a moment's wobbling in place, Riko followed the two through the kitchenette to the far side, where it was connected to a small, but cozy dining room. In the dining room, Yukina and Keiko were setting out the dishes, while Shizuru transported dishes back and forth and Botan messed around with the utensils and plates.

For a moment, Riko stood at the edge of the dining room and kitchenette, watching the girls do their work as Kuwabara and Yusuke snitched food and got slapped for their trouble. Specifically, her eyes fixed on Yukina. _She's a healer. So pretty. A healer… So… pretty…_ Scowling, Riko stormed into the room, grabbed Yusuke, who was in the middle of stealing a piece of meat and hauled him through the kitchenette, past Kurama, who stepped out of the way lightly and back into the main room, shutting the door behind them.

"Ow! What the heck was that for?" Yusuke complained, rubbing his arm. "What's the matter with you? Did something happen?"

"That's what I want to know," Riko hissed, keeping her voice low in case the others noticed and came to eavesdrop. "What happened between Yukina and Hiei? Why is he so –" Riko waved her arms wildly through the air. "- around her?"

It took every drop of control in Yusuke's well-muscled body to keep the smile from coming out, and even then, his mouth twitched a few times. Finally, he had himself under control long enough to say, "They have a very… _special_ relationship. Hiei's said that if we tell anyone, he'll kill us, and that sword of his is sharp. You should ask him about it."

Riko snorted. "Oh yeah, that'll be a fun conversation. Question Hiei about a love life that I didn't even know existed!" She stared at Yusuke. "Why are you laughing?"

Straightening, Yusuke gasped and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "Nothing. It's nothing." He shook his head. "Yukina, whatever relationship she might have with Hiei that I can't tell you about, is not and has never been and will never be Hiei's lover."

A strange feeling washed over Riko, almost like –

"And while we're on the topic," Yusuke murmured, his eyes glittering in a way that was almost reminiscent of Yusuke's, "Why you so interested? Has shorty got himself a new fangirl?" He nudged Riko in the ribs, grinning.

Riko stared at him for a long moment, mouth partly opened in shock and then snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. I don't – oh goodness," Riko placed a hand to her chest and mimed gagging. "You had better be joking – oh _wow_, no. I just need to know because… my… healing – my healing is a bit off right now, and I might need Yukina's help, and Hiei seems very opposed to that, and –"

"Okay, okay," Yusuke said, waving off the rest of the concocted explanation. "Then, second question, what part of your healing makes you need to know whether or not they've been in a relationship?"

Again, Riko stared.

"Hm?" Yusuke asked. "This is not looking very promising for you." He turned to go. "Well, I'm gonna go eat, so lemme know if you come up with an excuse –"

"I am possessive!" Riko snapped, grabbing his sleeve and jerking him back around. "Hiei is my patient, and I'm the one who's going to heal him." _Even if I can't._ "And I don't want him to go running off to someone else –"

"Like Hiei would do that," Yusuke returned, snorting. He folded his arms and stared at Riko.

Several long moments passed as the two engaged in a fierce staring contest.

Finally, Riko blinked.

"Alright, he's hot!" Riko snapped.

"Yes!" Yusuke pumped his fist in the air.

"But -" Riko interjected before Yusuke could continue his victory dance. "But, that is not why I asked. It was because of the healing, okay? I get possessive, and I don't wanna think about other people stealing away my patients."

"Whatever you say, Riko," Yusuke replied, grinning.

"Don't you dare go tell anyone that you think that I like him!"

Yusuke saluted her. "Got it." He punched the girl in the shoulder lightly and then paraded back through the door to the kitchenette.

Riko stared at the wooden door as it closed. For a moment, Hiei's face seemed to flash on the wood. Riko closed her eyes and covered her face.

_Dammit… he is hot…_

__End of Chapter 40

* * *

><p>Please, please review, cause I have to know what to think of this chapter, and I have no clue. (And on a sidenote, yay we're in the 40s ~ I should really have celebrated the other tens...)<p> 


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N:** FINALLY up. I'm so sorry guys. I was struck with laziness and...yeah, laziness. xD Anyways, this one is FINALLY up, and I really hope that you guys enjoy it! Please tell me if it's OOC, cause I was kinda worried there. Oh and thank you MusicofMadness for leaving the pestering review. :P It spurred me on.

**Publish Date: **6/12/12

**Next Upload Date:** June 17, 2012 (Hopefully ^ - ~)

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 41

"I hope you're all ready for another day of blood splashing and guts splattering, ladies and gentlemen, cause the second day of fighting begins right now!"

"And what do you know?" Yusuke muttered under his breath. "We're the first fighters. Again." He shook his head. "Man, they really don't want us to win, do they?"

"You're human," Kurama murmured. He gave Yusuke a smile in return to his glare. "We don't tend to like humans."

Riko turned her head to give Kurama a stare that was very similar to the look on Yusuke's face. "Did you say 'we'? Is there something you're not telling us, Kurama?"

The fox demon gave both of them his most innocent smile. "I am a demon."

Kuwabara looked around, "Speaking of demons, where's the shorty?"

There was a moment of silence as Kuwabara looked at Kurama, Kurama looked around, Yusuke looked at Riko, and Riko did her best to pretend that she was searching for Hiei in the sky. When none of them found what they were looking for, Yusuke and Riko both turned to join Kuwabara in staring at Kurama, and Kurama looked back at them.

He shook his head. "I'm afraid I do not know. He hasn't come back since he left yesterday." He looked around again, a slight frown on his face. "Based on his behavior, I highly doubt that he'll come to today's fight at all. It seems as if it'll just be the four of us."

Thoughtfully, Riko tugged at her hair. She had installed extensions that reached to the small of her back, but had been in such a rush to do so that a few hadn't been put in right and were now bugging the heck out of her.

Yusuke noticed her fidgeting and raised an eyebrow at her. "…What do those do?"

Riko glanced at him and then back at their opponents. They were a group of demon shinobi that Kurama had debriefed them on just a few minutes before. All five were dressed in large, matching robes that made them almost indistinguishable from one another aside from side and little variations in designs from person to person.

Looking back at Yusuke, Riko considered whether or not she should tell Yusuke. Finally, she shrugged and replied as casually as she could, "Nothing."

At the same time, Koto announced, "Teams, please step to the center of the ring so we can decide how we wanna kill each other today!" The combination of the two ensured that only Yusuke, who had been listening for the answer and who was standing closest to her, heard her answer.

He stared at her as Kurama and Kuwabara started to walk forward. "What?"

With another shrug, Riko started walking as well, keeping a good distance behind the other two. "I don't plan on fighting today."

"What? Why?"

"I don't wanna fight."

Yusuke stopped walking. The rest of his team continued for a moment before Kuwabara noticed and glared back at him. "What's the matter Urameshi?" He grinned, challengingly. "You scared?"

Ignoring the insult, Yusuke hurried forward to Riko's side and hissed, "Why? Is there something wrong with you?"

Riko gave Yusuke a dirty look, but didn't have a chance to reply as Koto spoke up again, the two groups now facing each other in the approximate center of the ring, about ten meters away from the other with Koto standing in the middle. She gave each team a once over and did a double take as she looked over the Urameshi team. "What's this?" She cried, voice ringing throughout the stadium. "Urameshi's team only has four members today. What's happened to Hiei, who put on such a good show yesterday? Could he have gotten scared and run away?"

_...It's a good thing Hiei isn't here to hear that..._ Yusuke thought, distracted from his Riko-attack enough to allow himself a small smile at Hiei's reaction to Koto's words. He opened his mouth, ready to tell Koto and anyone else who cared to fuck off –

"He's not interested in fighting today."

Surprised, Yusuke looked to the side at Riko, who was standing with her arms folded, face having reverted to her blank countenance, and something clicked. _That's her Keun face. _Keun, who Riko used to fight, to act tough. _She's trying to act tough._ His eyes narrowed. _But – why? Riko, what the hell are you trying to do?_

"And you wish to proceed with only four?" Koto asked, voice ringing.

"Of course," Riko replied. "I have a proposition."

"Oo ~ Urameshi Team's Keun has come forward, and she looks very fired up!" Koto cried. She turned to face the other team. "Do you guys wanna hear it?"

A voice emitted from one of the medium-sized robes, semi-deep with a bit of refinement. "Go on."

"We play best three out of five, but I'll take on two of you." Yusuke squeaked, but Riko continued without even looking at him, "If I lose, it counts as two losses against us, and if I win it counts as two wins. Everyone is only allowed to fight once, except in the case of a tie. That good?"

"Riko?" Yusuke hissed. "Riko, what the fuck -"

"Fair enough," said the first person. "Will you be fighting first?"

Coolly, Riko replied, "Yes." She turned around and started walking for the side of the stage, looking over her shoulder as she did so and said, "Send out your two strongest fighters." She walked for two more steps, stopped and then looked to the side at Kuwabara, raising an eyebrow.

He blinked at her. "What?"

She pointed forward. "Healers never go first?"

"Oh," He hurried forward. "Right." As he walked, he looked back at her and grinned. "So, you gonna take on two of them?" He mussed her hair. "Riko's getting tough."

Meticulously, Riko fixed her hair, but still gave Kuwabara a mild smile. "Thanks."

"And just a bit reckless," Kurama commented. "Are you sure you can do this, Riko?"

Shrugging, Riko rolled back her shoulders and hopped lightly off the stage. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"...Very well then," Kurama sighed, seemingly resigned at Riko's idiocy.

Behind them Koto was saying, "Keun has started today off with a bam, offering to fight two of Team Masho by herself!" She shook her head. "I think we're going to see another great fight today, ladies and gents! At this rate, Keun is going to become my favorite fighter!"

_...Oh yay,_ Riko thought dryly as she slipped off the edge of the stage and removed a hair-tie from her wrist. Rather unhurriedly, she started to sweep her hair back, gathering it all up and then tying it into a messy bun to keep most of it off her face. She glanced at Kurama and Kuwabara, who had drawn to the side and were letting her prepare on her own. _Well, at least that was easy._ She glanced at Yusuke, who was still scowling at her. _...This one though..._

Before she could think of something to forestall him, he demanded, "What the hell was that?"

Innocently, she asked, "What?"

"That! You said that you don't have any weapons!"

"No," Riko corrected. "I said that my hair extensions don't do anything. I didn't say that I have any weapons."

Something in Yusuke relaxed a bit. "So you do have another weapon?" He peered at her. "Where is it -"

"No," Riko said.

Yusuke blinked at her. "No - just - what the hell?" He paused. An image of a short, red-eyed demon with characteristic spikey black hair flashed in his mind. He stared at her. "Is this because of Hiei?" Riko's hand jerked, and she made a face, pulling the hair-tie out and starting over. "Are you trying to impress him?" Riko paused and stared at him. "He's not even here right now, Riko. Don't be ridiculous -"

The hairband hit Yusuke squarely in the middle of his head.

"GAH!" Yusuke held his head in pain. "Riko!"

Kurama and Kuwabara looked over. "What are you two doing?" Kuwabara asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Riko said, reassuringly. "Yusuke's just mad that I'm hogging all the good fighters."

Rubbing his head, Yusuke muttered, "Yeah. That's why I'm mad."

As she retrieved the hairband, Riko replied coolly, "I'm not trying to impress anyone. Don't be stupid."

"I'm the one being stupid?" Yusuke asked, incredulous. "You're trying to go into a fight without a weapon! And you've already said like a million times that you can't fight without a weapon! So if you're not trying to impress him – ow!" Yusuke put a hand to his forehead again, swearing. "Riko, if you hit me with that thing again, I'm gonna –"

"We need to get something straight here," Riko interrupted, as she retrieved the hairband and began yet again tying her hair. In the back, Koto was calling at her to hurry up. She turned and gave the fox demon a cold smile, before turning to face Yusuke again. "I do not like him. I _do_ think that he's hot. But I do not like him. You wanna know why I'm trying so hard? It's because I've never not healed someone before." Riko tugged on the band, trying to wrap it around her bun one more time. Her head was tilted down, her eyes hidden. "Never."

Something like sympathy started to grow inside Yusuke. He knew what she meant, and it made him almost want to tell her it would be okay. He pushed it down, crossed his arms, and said instead, "Don't be stupid. Everyone fails sometimes –"

"I shouldn't fail," Riko hissed. She jerked her head up to glare into Yusuke's eyes and as she did so, her hair tumbled loose, falling down over her shoulders and back. "I have had good trainers, and my family has had very good healers, poison healers, normal healers – all of that. I have nature and I have nurture. I can't fail."

Silence followed as Koto called again, and then Riko let out a very light sigh. "So. I just wanted to clear that up. I don't like him. I just don't like failing." She saluted Yusuke. "Now, I'm off to my fight, Mr. Leader, sir." She turned and walked away, extensions trailing behind her like a train.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Hiei flexed his arm. It moved slowly, barely at all, and the pain was starting to come back. 'Every few hours' she had said. It's already been over fifteen since he had left the hotel, so seemingly, she'd underestimated the time.<p>

The black sparks were eating at his flesh, something that set his very energy on edge. It had been active since he had summoned the dragon, but hadn't been able to do anything but hover, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted.

'_No one has ever conquered the Black Dragon before.'_ Hiei clenched his left fist and then punched the tree before him. There was a moment's pause and then it cracked in two and fell over. _Impossible. I will not be like those weak fools. I am stronger than that._ He tried to close his right hand, but there wasn't enough control in it to make it more than twitch and then stop.

Anger built inside Hiei until it came out in a roar of rage that sent several more trees to the ground, burnt and broken. His breath came heavily now, both from the exertion of the anger and the returning pain from his right hand – his sword hand.

_My sword –_ Hiei reached for his katana, but it slipped from his grasp. _Damn –_ Hiei looked at his sword and then threw it into the air with his left hand. It slipped out of its sheathe and he caught it, again with his left hand. He examined it from hilt to blade, stopping only when he saw his own reflection in the polished metal. On his forehead, he could see the faintest imprint of his third eye.

_Shigure._

He was known as a doctor of the darkness. If one of Koenma's pets couldn't do it, he probably could. It would be best to visit him soonest, so that he could examine the wound when it was still mostly fresh. Something inside was preventing him from doing so. Hiei's grip on his sword tightened until his hand and the sword began to shake.

"Don't tell me you're thinking about running away, Hiei."

The fire demon turned around and glared at his temporary boss. "Do not concern yourself with me, Koenma. I won't abandon your petty little fight."

Folding his arms, the young god leaned against an unbroken tree and said casually, "Based on your absence this morning, I would say that you already have. What's the matter? Your arm hurt too much for you to go?" He leaned back as Hiei swept out with his left hand, leveling his sword at Koenma's throat. "Whoa. I'm sorry."

Unyielding, Hiei demanded, voice icy, "What do you want, Koenma?"

With a shrug, the god relaxed again. "I'm invested in this team, so of course, I'd be concerned when one of my team members is hurt." He directed his gaze towards Hiei's right arm, which Hiei had buried in his pocket the moment Koenma had spoken. "From the looks of things, it's not going well, is it? You didn't even hear me come up behind you. Riko couldn't heal it?"

"Obviously." Hiei withdrew the sword and sheathed it. "Your healers are weak."

Koenma studied his most troublesome fighter for a moment and then asked, "Would you like me to ask Genkai to look at it? She's coming down soon to see her protégé fight." He rubbed the back of his neck and muttered under his breath, "Though she was damn pissed that I made them participate in this thing in the first place."

"I don't need help," Hiei snapped immediately, though he wasn't sure why he was so against the idea. At this point, gaining use of his arm by any means should have been a relief. "And I'd rather not hear about your troubles, Koenma. They hold no interest for me."

After a moment's silence, Koenma commented, "I heard that Riko managed to put an anesthetic on you."

Hiei sneered. "Getting Kurama to act the spy again?"

"You use what you can get," Koenma shot back. He looked at Hiei a moment more and then shook his head before turning to go. "Well, let me know if you need anything. Short of human heads, I think I can get it for you."

Hiei watched Koenma walk off, disappearing back into the island proper. There was an interesting feeling inside, something that he had felt almost at once for Kurama, once the fox demon had demonstrated his skills and then gradually for Yusuke. He hadn't known at first what the feeling was, but it had started to dawn on him sometime during the battle with the four Saint Beasts.

'_Respect'._ Hiei shook his head. What a foolish emotion. So useless.

But familiar.

Riko flashed in front of Hiei's eyes, her purple sparks alighting all over her skin.

That was it.

Hiei's lip curled in disdain as he realized the emotion that he had been associating with Riko as of late. It had started with her healing of Kurama and grown since then.

_Respect. I… respect…_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Are both sides ready?" Koto asked in a sing-song voice.<p>

"Ya better bet I'm ready!" said the red-haired demon. He was grinning, cracking seemingly every bone in his body as he looked Riko over. "This is gonna be fun, this is! Even if I have to work as a team. No offense, Gama."

"None taken, Jin," The pale, body-paint covered demon replied. He was smiling coldly. "I'm sure that we'll both have fun in this fight."

_...Oh yes. Lots of fun…_ Riko thought. She looked at Koto and nodded. "I'm good."

Koto took a final look, raised her arm and then brought it down dramatically.

"Go!"

End of Chapter 41

* * *

><p>Review ~ ^ - ^ (It helps spur me on.)<p> 


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N:** Wow, Yuuna finally returns... I really hope that you guys still remember her. If you don't, you can check earlier chapters or briefly, she's the group's 'tour guide' who looks a lot like Riko, who seems a bit vindictive towards the group...yeah, I suck at explaining. Check earlier chapters. (32 and before xD)

**Publish Date:** 6/17/12

**Next Upload Date**: June 23, 2012

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 42

The petite orange-haired girl looked into the mirror, examining her pretty amber eyes and curling one strand of her perfect hair around her finger for a moment. She pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side, revealing perfect, shell-shaped ears, and then the other side before returning to staring at the mirror full-on. She smiled brightly for a moment, looking innocent and mischievous, lifted one hand up to lightly brush the mirror –

And then smashed it.

Broken glass flew everywhere, most of it onto the girl, who didn't flinch, not even when a piece of glass came dangerously close to one of those perfectly formed eyes.

"Another mirror? Really, Yuuna?"

Yuuna turned around and looked at the woman standing at the door. She as framed by the light that came from down the hall, light that fell quite favorably on her dusky skin and dark hair, making it shine. Unlike Yuuna, she was quite tall, and both her eyes and voice were much darker, deeper than the small-boned young woman.

Scowling, Yuuna turned to look back at the mirror. She flicked out a few pieces of glass that remained in the frame. "You know I hate my reflection."

"I know, but that's no reason to take it out on the mirror." The woman walked forward and lightly tucked a few strands of hair behind Yuuna's ear, her eyes cold. "Even if you do look so disgustingly ugly." She shook her head. "I can barely stand to look at you."

With a scoff, Yuuna retorted, "I can't stand to look at myself at all." She tossed the glass to the floor, ignoring the cuts that she gained on her hands in addition to the ones that she already had. There was a moment of silence as blood dripped onto the expensive carpet and then Yuuna let out a sigh. She turned and flopped onto the queen-sized bed. "Mother, I don't want to wait anymore."

The woman looked down at the blood, calculating how much money it would take to clean it compared to just buying a new carpet. In response to her daughter's words, she said absently, "I have people set up. Once she's alone, we'll take her, and you can do with her what you will."

Finally a real smile split Yuuna' face. "That's wonderful," She murmured.

In the shadow of a piece of mirror, Yuuna's eyes shone.

_Keun, you are dead._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Kuwabara glanced over at Yusuke and frowned. "Urameshi, you alright?"<p>

Yusuke was pacing in a little circle, muttering to himself. "She is insane. She's insane! There is no fucking way –"

Before Kuwabara or Kurama, who was glancing over with a raised eyebrow, could question him further, Koto's voice rang out over the stadium, "Go!" Yusuke whirled to face the stage, and Kuwabara and Kurama followed suit, their eyes locking onto their teammate.

Instantly, Riko's hand shot up, and before anyone else could move, she announced, "I forfeit."

Dead silence overtook the stadium. Gama's eyes were bulging out as he stared at Riko, and Jin had stopped in the middle of winding up his arms, his face frozen in astonishment. Even Koto, who's arm was still outstretched herself to indicate the start of the match, had stopped moving and was staring at Riko, who stood very calmly at one side, her hand raised, waiting for Koto to declare the other side's double victory.

In a rather squeaky voice, Yusuke said, "Kurama, please tell me she did not just say that."

With a resigned quality in his tone, Kurama replied, "I'm afraid that she did." He folded his arms and leaned back on one foot, scanning the rest of the opponents and calculating. Now that she had revealed her plan, it was quite easy to see what Riko had been trying to do.

Up on stage, Riko's heart was pounding slightly, though she kept her face completely impassive. Inside though, she was praying to every god that she didn't believe in or respect to help her through this situation with her life.

By intentionally offering the other team a seemingly good offer, she put herself at a disadvantage, which would normally invite the other team to send out their weakest players, but with her reputation, her fight from yesterday, and her challenge, she had instead been trying to draw out the two strongest fighters – or at the very least, good fighters. She knew that she couldn't fight two demons – or any demons – for that matter, without a treasure, and she didn't want to fight, not when it would take up precious energy that she would need for healing.

So it was best for her to forfeit. It was true that that would mean two losses stacked against them, but it would also take two fighters out of the game. Riko was relying on her teammates' strength and, much more importantly, their pride, to get them through it. There was no way any of them would be happy losing, especially when put up with such an ultimatum.

Everything was in place. All she had to do was hope that her opponents weren't hot-headed enough to attack her anyways.

Fortunately, it was Koto who reacted first. She dropped her arm and stared at Riko, "What did you just say?"

As calmly as she could, Riko replied, "I forfeit the match."

"What – how –" Koto spluttered.

Behind her, the audience was starting to talk, and anger was building up. A few were starting to shout insults at Riko that ranged from as innocent as 'coward' to some very untasty adjectives placed in front of equally untasty nouns.

"I don't want to fight," Riko said, steadily. "So, I forfeit. It's their victory."

"I can't believe this," Koto said. "No one in the history of –"

"You can't believe it," Jin cried, his accent getting thicker from rage, "What in the ages is this? I come out here looking for a good fight with some priss who's supposed to be one of the best human fighters, and here, she forfeits on me! That's not right! Hey, Missus Whatever-Your-Name-Is, tell the fox that you're kidding!"

Coolly, Riko replied, "I'm not. I don't plan on fighting anyone, and due to our agreement, you won't be fighting anyone today." She paused and then added. "Or at the very least, no one from our team."

"What? No – fox, tell her that she can't do that!"

Koto hesitated. Both Jin and Riko stared at her, Jin with the support of Gama. Finally, she admitted, "Technically, forfeits are allowed –"

"NO!"

Jin brought his fist up, and Riko flinched, bringing an arm up instinctively, though she knew that if the red haired demon meant to attack, her frail little arm was not going to stop him. Luckily for her, Jin directed his anger at the ground, creating a large hole that blew chunks of rock around the stadium, some of which did hit Riko. She winced and knocked them away, keeping her face straight and her gaze level at Jin, who glared back at her.

A gust of wind surrounded him, and the demon shot up, eventually reaching the edge of the glass globe that surrounded the stadium. There was a pause and then a shattering noise. Glass rained down as Jin punched through the top and flew out, a fit of rage following him like a windy tail.

Gama gave Riko a cold stare. "I would be careful if I were you," He said coldly. "Jin doesn't get angry unless someone interferes with his fights, and now that he is angry, you'd best watch yourself." He smiled and started walking back, calling over his shoulder, "You'll regret this."

Hiding a sigh of relief, Riko turned and started to walk back to her side as well, ignoring the jeering and the throwing of insults. As she drew closer to her side, she also tried very hard to ignore the expression on Yusuke's face, but unfortunately, unlike the heated insult, this task was much more difficult.

"What are you _doing?_" He hissed.

"Hey, you didn't want me to fight in the first place," Riko said. "I would have thought that you would be relieved."

Yusuke stared at her. "So you did this cause of me."

Making a strained face, Riko pretended to think about the half-question, mostly statement and then said, "No."

"THEN WHAT THE –"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Riko glanced at him and then Kurama, who gave her his dry look and then Kuwabara, who just shrugged. "I just assumed that you all could win." She gave Yusuke an innocent smile. "Or was I thinking too much of you guys?"

A long silence followed, so Riko took the opportunity to walk past Yusuke, towards the 'resting area' that she now knew was behind the doors. Since she wouldn't be participating in a fight, she might as well sit down somewhere and have something to eat. That morning's breakfast hadn't been very fulfilling, not with Botan's incessant chatter and the very obvious lack of Hiei's glare.

"Hey."

The voice, quiet and refined and somehow very familiar made Riko pause and look upward toward the source. A very small smile crossed her face, and she responded, "Yes? Do you need something?" in her most innocent, calm voice.

Jirou Uehara the younger looked down at his father's only female fighter. "What do you think you're doing?"

…_I seriously wish that people would stop asking me that._ Still, since she couldn't say that to the well-dressed man and ruin her image, Riko replied, "I don't feel like fighting. And I don't have to. You have nothing to worry about. We'll still win. Your father's money isn't in any danger."

Raising an eyebrow, Jirou asked, "Have you not heard of betting on fights? Individual fights? Father just lost a great deal of money."

…_Oh. Not good. _Riko shrugged, staying casual. "He'll make it up."

"…You're still not scared."

Again, Riko shrugged. "If he's supporting us, he's supporting us. If not, he's not. I doubt that anything I do will really change his mind, and really, the longer we stay in this, the more money he can make off us, right?" She paused for a moment and then added, "If there's nothing else that you want to say, I think I'll take my leave now." She waited, but Jirou said nothing. "Very well." She tilted her head back down and pushed open the door to the 'resting area', walking in calmly, the door swinging closed behind her.

On the other side, she sagged, leaning against the door, tired from her proud warrior act. She stood there a moment, just breathing quietly in and out, before making her way towards the seat that she had occupied yesterday.

She was about halfway there when something dark manifested behind her, and she had continued another two steps before it hit her with a small projectile that sank into her core. Without ever realizing that someone else had been in the room, Riko sank to the ground, her eyes fluttering close as her mind fell into unconsciousness.

The dark shape became clearer, more humanoid and pulled something from its pocket – a cellphone. "Miss Yuuna? We have her."

Back in her room, which now had a new rug in place of the old as well as a new mirror, Yuuna smiled at her mother, who was examining the new rug as if trying to find some defect so she could take it back and get another one for less money. She looked across the room at her reflection, her delicate features that so resembled Riko's. The mirror was bright and seemed almost to glow as Yuuna removed the phone from her ear and threw it across the room.

The mirror shattered, pieces of glass flying all over the place. Yuuna smiled.

Her mother sighed.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Such a stubborn girl,<em> Kurama shook his head, almost smiling as he turned back to his opponents. _Very much like her uncle._ His smile faded as he took in the rest of his opponents. While Riko seemed to have taken out at least one of their strongest members – Jin – he was still getting a dangerous vibe from the first that had spoken as well as the slight figure on the end.

In the middle of the ring, Koto seemed to still be trying to figure out what was going on, muttering to herself. Only a reminder from the loudspeaker that she had to continue the fight got her moving again. With a jump, Koto announced, "We'll now continue with the second round of the second day of fighting. By the terms of the agreement made at the beginning of the fight, the Masho Team now has two victories and only needs one more to achieve a victory. It seems as if Riko has doomed her team by forfeiting. Can the Urameshi team pull back from this?"

"Ha!" Kuwabara snorted. "We got this." He stomped up onto the ring. "I'm gonna go next guys. Hope you're ready for some ass-kicking, cause I'm coming prepared." He grinned at the opposing team. "Who wants a piece of Kuwabara?"

From the dark cloaks, there was a disdained sniff and then a whispered, "Barbaric," that seemed to fly right over Kuwabara's head.

"Hm. Cocky human. Gotta admit. They're easy prey." The voice came from the largest cloaked figure, who now tore off his cloak and grinned at Kuwabara. "I'll take you on, human. We'll see how long you stay cocky." He hopped up onto stage and stood opposite Kuwabara. "I'm Bakken, a master of hand-to-hand combat."

"Oh really?" Kuwabara responded, with his own smirk. "We'll see about that."

They both looked impatiently at Koto, who jumped and muttered to herself, "This has got to be the fastest I've ever said this twice in a row," and then lifted a hand and yelled, "Go!"

End of Chapter 42

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed!<p> 


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N**: Really tired so...not really good. Sorry. D:

**Upload Date:** 6/24/12

**Next Upload Date:** July 1st, 2012

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 43

An itching feeling distracted Kurama from Kuwabara's first attack – a very straightforward thrust of his sword that Bakken dodged quite easily. It was a testing the waters attack. The fox demon looked around, searching for the source of the itching. It felt like something was missing – something was wrong, but before the demon could pin down the source, a whistle went up from the crowd and drew his attention back to the arena.

Bakken and Kuwabara, as well as the entire stage, were now concealed in a white fog that gave off the very strong smell of sweat.

"Ugh," Yusuke muttered, pinching his nose. "What the hell?"

"It's a disguise technique," Kurama murmured, his voice muffled by his own hand over his nose. "Bakken must be using it to hide himself from Kuwabara."

"That's great," Yusuke muttered. "But what the hell is that smell coming from it? It's like the boy's locker room times a gajillion."

With a slight smile, Kurama replied, "I'm not sure, but I'd worry more about Kuwabara at the moment. I'm sure that Bakken is going to take this opportunity to attack him."

As if on cue, a cry came from the mist, and they heard Bakken's laugh. "Thought you could beat me, did you human? I think it's about time that your entire team learned your place. Below us." There was another grunt of pain and more laughter.

"Uh…" Came from Koto inside the blinding fog. "So, I can't see what's going on anymore, so unfortunately, ladies and gentlemen, I can't tell you what's happening. Bakken, care to explain what you're doing to Kuwabara? It sounds quite delicious."

There was another grunt and then a yelp in Koto's voice, followed by Bakken's voice blaring into the microphone. "It's simple. I'm beating him to a bloody pulp. This is my technique. I turn my own sweat into mist that makes it impossible to see in. And this is a warning to the rest of that disgusting team. You humans? You are weak – pathetic creatures who should bow at our feet. And those demons that are fighting with you – you're traitors, not fit to –"

His voice cut off suddenly with a loud smacking noise and a roar of pain from Bakken. "You son of a bitch –"

* * *

><p>While Bakken had walked over to Koto, being the only one on the arena who could actually see properly, Kuwabara had recovered from the first few blows. They had not been serious, not in the least, though they had had quite some strength behind them. The fog was made of Bakken's power, so it was hard for even Kuwabara's spirit sense to pick up on where the demon was. It was only when he got closer that his power grew in concentration and Kuwabara had the ability to sense him and block, though unfortunately, most of his blocks had come too late to help him too much.<p>

It was when Bakken had snatched the mike from Koto that Kuwabara really gotten his chance. Not only was Bakken distracted by his bragging, but his loud speaking gave Kuwabara the perfect opportunity to zone in on his location and, after creeping relatively close, launch a sneak attack that ended with his spirit sword in Bakken's shoulder.

With a roar, Bakken screamed, "You son of a bitch –" and dropped the mike, launching in at Kuwabara, who parried easily now that he knew where Bakken was and followed up with a thrust that nearly cut Bakken in two, but thanks to a lucky turn only sliced a cut along his arm.

"Not so tough now that you're not hidden, are you?" Kuwabara taunted, grinning as he attacked again.

This time, Bakken wasn't able to dodge in time, and the sword went straight through the side of his stomach, forcing him to his knees. Bakken groaned in pain as he fell and looked up at Kuwabara, his face scared and pleading. "Please, I was only kidding. I just wanted to show off a bit. I have nothing against humans – at all. You're all great." He lowered his head, looking down at the stone floor. Please. Don't hurt me –"

Boos followed the words, along with murmurs of disgust that came even from his own teammates.

Stretching his head up proudly, Kuwabara allowed his sword to vanish. "Don't worry. You don't have to beg anymore," He said, a bit gruffly. "I have a code. I don't hurt those who are weaker than me." He turned around and started to walk the other way.

As he did, Bakken slowly lifted his head. Sweat was gathering over his body again and in moments, the fog was even thicker than before, making Kuwabara halt in the middle of his tracks, peering around. "Hey, Bakken," He called back. "Since the fight is over and all, do you mind getting rid of this mist or whatever? It's kinda making it hard to –"

All of the breath left Kuwabara as Bakken rammed him hard in the back and then leapt back before the human could retaliate. Kuwabara dropped to his knees, coughing at the force of the blow and the increased stench caused by the increased concentration of the mist. He hadn't felt that one coming at all. The sweat fog was thicker now, so thick that Bakken's relatively weak energy was simply blending in with his creation.

Again and again, Bakken flitted closer and farther away from Kuwabara, hitting him a strategic spots that kept Kuwabara from retaliating.

_Dammit._ Kuwabara winced with pain as he tried to rise. A foot kicked him in the back of the knee, and he buckled, falling again. _Dammit, dammit, dammit._ He would never hear the end of it if he was the one who lost and got them kicked out of the fight. Yusuke would have something to use against him forever, even though, technically most of the 'fight' had been lost by Riko.

_Can't lose._ Kuwabara thought. This time, he opted to roll to try to get out of range and received a punch in the ribs. Kuwabara lunged, trying to grab the arm that had hit him, but missed and was rewarded by another hit, this one square in the back. _How do I do this –_ His thoughts scrambled. _I have to be able to see him or sense him or something – _Pain sparked in his elbow and he rolled. _Which means that I have to get rid of this fog somehow._

He looked around. The fog extended to only around the arena – as far as he knew. "HEY, URAMESHI!"

From the perimeter of the stage came a holler back, "What do you want, Kuwabara?"

"Is there fog where you are?" Kuwabara roared.

A pause and then, "No!"

_That's it._ Kuwabara began to roll again, ignoring the blows and curling himself up into a tight ball in order to provide himself with maximum protection.

"What's the matter? Trying to run away?" Bakken taunted, not realizing his danger. Aside he called, "Hey, judge, the little human's running away."

Resisting the urge to yell back at him, Kuwabara rolled a few more meters and then fell heavily off the stage, landing about fifty meters away from Kurama and Yusuke, both of whom turned to stare at him as he did so.

"…Kuwabara…what the hell?"

"Shut up, Urameshi," Kuwabara snapped, struggling to his feet. Yusuke hadn't been lying. There was no fog in the area that he was now standing and looking back at the stage, it was like there was a glass surface around the fighting ring. Not a single drop of sweat had escaped that glass, and now, standing outside of it, Kuwabara could finally see again.

A grin grew on Kuwabara's face, and he yelled at the stage, "I hope you're ready, Bakken, cause you and your fog are about to go bye-bye!"

Kuwabara's sword reappeared in his hand, growing quickly until it was almost long enough to touch Yusuke, who glared at it, but edged away. Kuwabara waited a moment to allow it to stabilize, ignoring the pain in most of his body – he hadn't gotten a beat down quite so severe in some time – and then swung the sword in a long arc, sweeping it across the entire stadium. The sword parted the air as it went, and the wind that it created quickly cleared the air in the fighting ring.

Bakken, in the middle, just barely managed to duck in time to avoid getting his head chopped off. A kind of nervous tension was creeping back into his face. "You – you think that that can stop me, pathetic human? I can just conjure up more mist, and this entire thing will be -" Bakken dropped to the ground, an imprint of Kuwabara's fist on the side of his head.

Koto, who had been standing rather awkwardly in the arena while Bakken had sneak-attacked Kuwabara and who hadn't even noticed when Kuwabara had illegally left the stage, now blinked at Bakken's prone body and Kuwabara standing over him. "Er… it seems as if Bakken's plan has failed, and Kuwabara is now in the lead. With Bakken down, I shall start the count. One… two…" And then eight seconds later, "Ten! He is out." Koto ran over and lifted Kuwabara's arm into the air, the human grinning in both an idiotic and triumphant way. "Kuwabara is the victor of the second fight! The score is now 2-1 in favor of the Masho Team!"

"2-1?" Yusuke muttered under his breath. "We're seriously going to count Riko's idiocy? That was probably the stupidest thing I've ever seen, and I've been in fights next to that guy." He jerked his head at the stage and the orange-headed Kuwabara who was now shouting insults up at the audience members who disapproved of a human winning.

"In terms of idiocy, I'm not sure that you can talk, Yusuke," Kurama commented dryly. He smiled in return to Yusuke's glare and then stepped up to congratulate Kuwabara as he stormed from the center of the arena and hopped off the stage, muttering angrily under his breath.

"Stupid demons – I cheated? How – morons –"

Amused, Kurama patted the young man on the shoulder and then glanced at Yusuke. "Would you like to go next, Yusuke?"

"Hell yes!" Yusuke replied, grinning and cracking his knuckles. "I trained for shitting weeks to participate in this thing, and as of yet, the only thing I've fought is Keiko." He paused and shuddered, before hopping onto the arena and striding to the middle of the stage. "Hey, Koro or whatever your name is, let's start the next round."

Koto glared at Yusuke. "It's _Koto_."

"Yeah, whatever."

Irritated, Koto turned her back on Yusuke and called to the other side, "Team Masho, it's time to begin the third fight. Send out your next fighter." Near her foot, Bakken twitched, and she darted away. "Oh and," She added, looking around. "Could someone please clear this one away?"

"It would be my pleasure."

There was a swift movement, and Bakken's body disappeared, reappearing on the outside of the arena, where it lay, completely still. In its place, there stood a slender young man, with pale blue and green hair. He looked up at Yusuke with pale eyes that sent shivers down the spirit detective's spine. This demon looked much more dangerous than Bakken.

Still, he couldn't let that feeling show, so instead, Yusuke said cockily, "Hope you're nothing like the last guy, or this really isn't gonna be much of a fight."

"I am Touya. Ice demon." Touya fell into a fighting stance. "And believe me, I am in no way like Bakken. Prepare yourself."

Another shiver ran down Yusuke back, and then he grinned, pulling back into a fighting stance himself. All the pent up anger and irritation that had been building over the past weeks as he'd trained in increasingly dangerous situations and then not been able to fight on opening day was finally allowed to come out, and Yusuke was determined that it would be let out with one hell of a bang. "Alright. Let's get this party started!"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>The first thought that entered Riko's mind as she came back into consciousness was, <em>Holy shit. <em>And then, _Am I dreaming? Why's it so dark? I never dream about the dark. Or at least, I haven't fore a really, really long time._ And then, immediately following that, _Is this sleep paralysis?_ She had heard of such a thing before, but never really thought that it would happen to her. And besides, it felt like she was standing up – or at least, orientated vertically.

Her hands were shackled to the wall above her head. Her ankles were shackled the same way, and another shackle, thicker, stronger encompassed her core. One last band covered her eyes, leaving her with only the edges of her vision – not that that was helpful.

The room that she was in was completely dark, and though Riko blinked many times, she could see nothing. It was such a total nothingness that Riko wanted to reach up and touch her eyes to make sure that they were really open, but the shackles were tight enough that she had no movement room in the slightest.

What had happened to her?

Riko tried to remember. She had walked into the rest area and then – then what? What had happened after that? She couldn't remember, but the little part of her that had always paid attention to the scary movies that she had watched told her that she had been kidnapped – drugged and then taken to some unknown location by her kidnappers.

_For what?_ Riko wondered. She had no idea.

"Hello?" She called. "Hello? Is someone there?"

There was no answer.

End of Chapter 43


	44. Chapter 44

**A/****N**: Okay, late. Again. So sorry (and all that. :P) What I plan on doing. I will be gone next weekend (not this coming, but next), so I will release this chapter today, another one over this weekend, another one mid next week, and then another mid next, next week and then back to the normal, Saturday schedule. (Hopefully.) Anyways, besides all that, lots of talking in this chapter, lots of which has been expressed in the original YYH (Touya), because I love his motivation. I hope that you guys don't mind and that you continue to read and enjoy!

**Upload Date: **July 11, 2012

**Next Upload Date**: 7/14/12

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 44

…_So this is what it's like to be kidnapped…_ And she was fairly certain that that was what had happened to her – otherwise, how else could she explain why she was chained to a wall in a room that seemed to be completely devoid of any light. Riko cast her eyes around again and then sighed, one very clear and very unusual thought coming up. _…It's… really… boring._

A small part of her was freaking out, running around in circles trying to figure out what had happened and why it was happening, but more of her was in a slight daze. _The sedation hasn't worn off entirely,_ She realized after a moment. _I wonder how much I'm going to freak out when the sedation comes off._ She tried to look around again –

Light struck her in the eye, and she flinched backwards, hitting her head on the wall behind her. _…OW._ Her vision blurred for a moment, and when it cleared, there was someone standing in front of a rectangular shape several meters away, framed by the light that was coming through the opening.

The person was very petite, with semi-long hair that seemed to glow, delicate limbs, and a startling resemblance to herself, almost as if she was looking into a mirror, except with the wrong colors – orange instead of gray and purple, a sailor uniform instead of -

Riko blinked.

"Yuuna?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurama glanced to the side as a familiar presence appeared in his spirit sense. He smiled at the short figure walking towards him, a characteristic scowl on his face and his hands in his pockets. "It's nice to see that you're back. Did you have a good think?"<p>

"I have nothing to think about," Hiei replied coldly as he stopped next to Kurama, took his hands out of his pockets and glared at the stage.

"…Really? Nothing?"

Hiei glared.

"Oh hey, shorty's back." Kuwabara blinked at Hiei. "Where'd you go? Don't tell me you were scared."

"Watch your mouth, human."

_Ah,_ Kurama thought, turning his attention back to the stage and Yusuke and Touya's intertwining forms as they leapt around, shooting at each other. _Now this is what the background noise to our battles are supposed to sound like._ Still, he couldn't help but agree with Kuwabara's question: where had Hiei gone exactly? And why?

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Now this - this is what I'm supposed to be doing…<em>

On stage, Yusuke leapt back, dodging a long line of ice spikes. He landed several meters back and took a moment to wipe a drop of sweat from his forehead. _Man, that was way too close._ Yusuke noticed a drop of blood on his hand and slowly grinned. "Wow. You're really going for this." As he spoke, he pushed himself into a full fighting stance, arms up in the guard position, feet shoulder width and legs bent ready for action.

It was a good thing because seconds later, Touya attacked again, his Shards of Winter attack nicking several more cuts in Yusuke's skin. The ice demon had a grim look on his face. "Of course I'm taking this seriously. I want to win." It was a relatively simple sentence with a harsh undertone that somehow completely missed Yusuke.

"Yeah, dude, so do I, but you don't see me trying to kill you. Why don't we take this nice and easy and –"

"Take this easy?" Touya snapped, voice so raw that it almost hurt to hear. "Is this a game to you?"

With an easy shrug, Yusuke pretended to think for a moment and then nodded, "Yeah. It is. It's a game. Fighting's a game."

A strange light flashed in Touya's blue eyes, and he stopped. "A game?" He murmured, voice soft.

* * *

><p>Kuwabara shivered suddenly, rubbing his arms with his hands and looking around. "Hey, I'm getting a chill. Is anyone else getting a chill?"<p>

"He's an ice demon," Hiei said condescendingly. He glanced at Kurama, who was frowning and folded his arms, before turning his eyes back to the stage. Out of the corner of his mouth, he asked, "Something wrong?"

As if he had been startled by the question, Kurama jumped a bit and then shook his head. "Uh – not wrong really, just…" The fox demon trailed off for a moment, before a curious noise from Kuwabara brought him back to reality. "Excuse me. I was thinking." He nodded at the stage and beyond the stage, at the remnants of the team opposite them. There were only two standing there – Gama and one more hooded man. Bakken had been dragged off the stage, Jin still had not returned from his angry flight, and Touya was, of course, fighting on stage, though at the moment, he seemed to have reached a standstill.

Hiei looked at Kurama for a few seconds and then asked, coolly, "Do you recognize them?"

After a moment's hesitation, Kurama answered, "I believe so. Not them in particular, but the group that they belong to." He glanced at Hiei. "The shinobi?" Hiei's eyes sharpened in recognition, but he shook his head, indicating a lack of depth of knowledge on the topic. Kurama turned back to the stage. Touya was saying something now. Kurama continued, "A while ago, there was a group of elite demons, training from birth to be the best soldiers, assassins, spies – whatever their employer wanted - in the demon world. They work only for the highest bidder and are known for the being the best at what they did -"

* * *

><p>"- Being the best at what we do," Touya said. "And do you know why?"<p>

A rebellious part of Yusuke wanted to answer the rhetorical question with an impertinent response, but before he could, Touya continued.

"It's because we're trained from birth. From birth, we learn how to fight." There was something very sad in those pretty blue eyes. "It's the only thing that we learn. We stay secluded in our little world and we don't venture out into public, except to complete our jobs. Our jobs," Touya's voice softened.

An actual chill ran down Yusuke's back now.

"So, what do you suppose we're supposed to do when that world ends?"

The audience was stirring restlessly now, unable to hear anything that was being said and unable to comprehend the long break in between attacks. Koto, on the other hand could hear Touya's words, but she seemed frozen by his tone and neglected to comment with her usual gusto, instead staring at Touya, a bit struck by his words – and something else.

Koto was beginning to realize that Touya was _very_ attractive, a quality that she normally observed about fighters that she judged, but never really took into much account. After all, most of them were pounded into the ground sooner or later, and a pretty face really had no place in the world of fights. But there was something about Touya's looks, delicate, defined, with those clear blue eyes that seemed more sharper than even his icicle spears…

A blush came to Koto's face as she realized what she was thinking, and she stepped back, covering her mouth with her hand.

All the while, Touya hadn't stopped talking. "The world is no longer a place where assassins or spies are regularly hired. We are no longer respected and feared. We are hated, despised, and because of our training, we have no where else to go. We are stuck, forever, damned in the world of the fighters, outcasts. This tournament is our best hope. With our victory, our sponsor will give us whatever we wish for, and we will have the brooch. We will have freedom from the outside. Joy for our own sakes for the first time." His eyes had drifted upwards, towards the sky that glittered blue beyond the glass dome over their heads. "Freedom."

The moment lasted a breath – another, and then Touya looked back at Yusuke, and his eyes hardened again.

Yusuke was staring at him, openmouthed, so stunned that he didn't even have time to dodge as power shifted around Touya's right hand and formed into a long, thick icicle that swung in a long arc and ended at Yusuke's throat. The crowd yelled at the action, satisfied that they were finally going to see some blood.

"And you – you think that this is a game? You think that fighting is a game?" Touya's voice was low and dark. His eyes were burning – a strange thing for an ice demon – and the emotion in them – the emotion in everything that Touya did - was enough to snap Yusuke out of his little fight reverie.

Everything had been running on adrenaline at first. This was Yusuke's first fight after getting back from the old hag's boot camp, his first chance to try out all those moves that Genkai had quite literally pounded into his body. It'd been the hardest few weeks of his life, and Yusuke had come out of it thinking that he was quite literally on top of the world. Nothing could beat him. Nothing could stop him.

But that wasn't true.

There was a lot more to a fight than just who had the better skills. Hadn't he seen that a million times?

A series of images flashed into his mind – himself against opponents that he shouldn't have been able to beat – Hiei, Suzaku, Toguro. An image of Keiko followed the first two, something that almost made him blush, despite the circumstances and an image of imminent death followed the third - desperation, willpower, and luck had a lot more to do with who won a fight than skill alone. And as for the game part… Yusuke knew that words had been said in the reckless adrenaline of the moment, that he had lots of fights where secretly, in the darkest depths of his mind, it hadn't been a game. And if he didn't start taking this seriously, stop treating it as if he thought it was just a game, he would lose this fight.

It certainly seemed so at the moment. Touya had his sword at Yusuke's throat, and the young man was forced to stay completely still to avoid being cut – something that was unavoidable if Touya chose to go through with the action. A trickle of sweat rolled down Yusuke's neck. Overconfidence had gotten him into this mess, and if he wasn't careful, it was going to get him killed.

Power started to grow in Yusuke's right hand, and the feeling of its strength snapped Touya out of his anger. His face twisted in something that should have resembled a smile, but looked much too bitter, as he said, "Don't even bother. Your throat will be cut before you ever have time to throw off one of those precious bullets of yours."

"Hey, hey, hey," Yusuke said, trying to keep some of the old humor. "Let's not be hasty. My throat doesn't look nearly as great when it's cut."

Those words inspired a laugh from Touya, almost unwillingly. He closed his eyes momentarily, and there was a breath of silence as Touya composed himself, and when he looked back at Yusuke, his eyes seemed to be two chips of the same ice that he controlled. "I heard you were a great fighter, Yusuke Urameshi. It's a pity we won't get to see it."

He swung the sword.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Yuuna?" Riko could only stare and blink at the orange, sailor clad figure standing in the doorway. Inside, she was wondering whether she should ask the obvious "What the hell am I doing here?" and "What the hell are you planning on doing with me?" questions, but her brain was still a bit too fuzzy to really comprehend the situation, beyond the basic facts that she was kidnapped, and she wasn't really enjoying the experience.<p>

The guide for the Urameshi team smiled sweetly at Riko for a moment, but very quickly, her face turned into a cold scowl, as she stepped into the room, and the door closed behind her. As the boom echoed around the room, lights flickered on, and Riko, in her semi-mindless state was able to see just what exactly was around her.

It was a steel box, plain and simple. There were no elaborations, just her chained on one side to a gray wall and a small door on the other wall, straight across from her, about a meter in width and two in height. The box threw back echoes from every direction and every sound that was made. Before, when Riko had only said short sentences or nothing, she had noted the effect, but now, as Yuuna began to speak, it became readily apparent just how acoustically talented the box was.

"You bitch." The words were said in a harsh tone that didn't suit Yuuna's petite innocence, and, even more strangely, they were followed by a honeyed, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Even in her malaise, all Riko could think was, "No. Not at all." And then, to herself, _She definitely does not seem very sane. Or nice. Especially towards me._ And then, even more inwardly, _So I was right to hate her after all. Who knew. My instincts were actually right for a change…_

"That's good," Yuuna said back, her voice sweet for a moment. "Remember your fondest memories now, because there are no more for you. You will never have another happy moment, and from now on, you will suffer completely, totally, terribly, in the worst way and then, when you're at your lowest point, you will die in the most painful way that I can imagine."

…_Funny. It feels like I should have interrupted her at some point during that monologue…_ Riko mentally shook her head, trying to clear it._ I must really be woozy._ She took a deep breath. It was necessary that she concentrate. Concentrate hard, or she would lose even further control of the situation. She opened her mouth to ask a question, to try to obtain some information from Yuuna, but then she closed it again.

There was a gleam in Yuuna's eye. She wanted Riko to ask, wanted to tell the story and to revel in her plans for Riko's future.

…_I might be woozy, but I am not that woozy…_ So instead of inquiring of Yuuna's reason for bring her to such a place, Riko looked around and yawned, putting on a cool show of indifference, before looking straight into Yuuna's gold-orange eyes.

"So. What's the most painful way that you can imagine to die?"

End of Chapter 44


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N**: I DID IT! 3 This was very painful and took a lot of willpower to finish on time. I really hope that you guys like it! And please let me know if any of it was confusing or if you thought that Yusuke was OOC

**Upload Date: **7/14/12

**Next Upload Date**: July 18, 2012

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 45

"Koto, do your job."

The voice, spoken so suddenly in Koto's earpiece was enough to make her jump and then immediately blush as she realized that she had just spent the past few minutes staring at Touya's lovely face. She brought the mike to her face and stammered, "It – it seems like the Urameshi Team's streak will end here, with Touya seeming poised to claim their third win over his victory with Yusuke. Will this be the last we see of the famous human team?"

* * *

><p>"…Human?" Hiei muttered, scowling. "I don't think so."<p>

Kurama lifted his hand to his mouth to cover a grin, coughing lightly to hide the gesture.

* * *

><p>Yusuke leaned back as far as he could until he was almost falling, and then, as Touya swung the sword, he let himself fall and kicked up hard, landing a hard blow on Touya's side. Though it was off center, the blow had both Yusuke's force and gravity behind it and so Touya's slice missed Yusuke's throat but for a thin scratch as Touya gasped for breath, completely shocked.<p>

In most cases, such an obvious kick would have been noticed and blocked immediately, but this, he hadn't seen coming. The power that Yusuke had gathered in his hand had kept him distracted enough for Yusuke to angle himself back and launch another attack, this one hidden by the lack of spirit energy behind its force.

As Touya gasped, doubling over, Yusuke rolled out of the way and instantly came back up to his feet, spirit energy gathering at the end of his finger again, this time in preparation for an actual attack. The blue light lit up his face in a weird way.

"You know, I'm really sorry that you guys spent your entire lives training for something that's basically useless now and that you can't use anymore." Yusuke shrugged, a bit helplessly. "It really sucks for you guys, and there's nothing you can do about it, and I'm sorry." He shook his head, the light on his hand growing stronger and stronger, as Touya struggled to regain his composure.

"But sometimes, you just have to let things go. You had to realize when you should move on. And, as for blending into the world," Yusuke rolled his eyes, "Have you even tried it? I mean, come on. You guys seem like pretty boys – except maybe for that troll Bakken or whatever his name was – I bet you could get like a million girls to show you around and help you get to know the outside world, but no. Instead, you complain and try to hide yourself away. What's the point of that? You gotta be free. You can't hide, man! You gotta live!"

He let out a hearty sigh and steadied himself. "Whatever. If what you said about you guys is really right, you're not gonna get it until I blast some sense into you, so - I'm sorry I didn't take this fight seriously, but don't worry." His face hardened, his expression unusually stern, and the light reached an unbearable brightness. "I'm taking it seriously now."

A single shot of bright blue spirit energy exploded from Yusuke's index finger, firing almost point blank at Touya, whose eyes barely had time to widen before he flew backwards in a blast that carved a crater in the arena floor and sent him into the stadium wall with a bone crushing sound. A collective gasp went up from the audience, followed by a semi-sympathetic "Ooo…".

Despite her mixed affection for Touya, Koto could feel the bloodlust rising in her and announced, "In a sudden turn of events, Yusuke has managed to turn the tables on Touya, and now, Touya is the one who has been placed in grave danger." She ran over to the spot where Touya lay, shaking, facedown on the floor. Her heart wrenched a bit, and she almost forgot what she was supposed to do. _No. Concentrate, girl. He's just another pretty face._ Looking up, Koto said, "If Touya doesn't manage to rise from this – and it doesn't look promising, ladies and gentlemen, then the Urameshi Team will be tied with Team Masho, with two wins each! One… two…"

Letting his spirit energy fade a bit, Yusuke looked at Touya for a moment and then turned around and started to walk back towards his team. Inwardly, though he never would have admitted it, he was kind of happy to have fought Touya. His first fight in the tournament – and it'd been so –

"Get back here."

His voice was so brittle, so harsh that for a moment Yusuke had no idea who had spoken. And then, he turned around.

At the count of three, when Yusuke had turned, Touya had been completely still, aside from trembling. At five, he had started to get up, and by eight, he was on his feet, shaking so strongly that he almost didn't make it back to the arena before Koto got to ten. But he was there now, clothes ripped to pieces, blood dripping from all over his body and fiery determination in every breath that he took.

"You think it's over?" Touya asked between painful breaths. He was holding one arm with the other, as if that alone was keeping him standing. Very, very slowly, he slid into a fighting stance. His eyes blazed. "It's not over."

For a moment, all Yusuke did was stare, and then he grinned. "Alright. You wanna go?" Yusuke crouched low and then sprang forward. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Instantly, Yuuna's face was covered in a scowl. Riko's first thought was, <em>Do I look like that when I frown?<em> And then the second, _I really should not be baiting this chick who has me chained to a wall. Why am I baiting her?_

Before her brain could supply answers for either questions however, Riko's mind was thoroughly fried as an electric current ran through her bonds and shocked every thought from her brain. Her mouth opened, and a scream left it the sound echoing throughout the room for several minutes before finally dying out to a faint whisper.

"That didn't feel so good, did it?" The words took several moments to register with Riko, who was now breathing deeply, her heart pounding after having been briefly disturbed by the electricity. "There's a lot more of that. If you keep acting like that prissy, patronizing, know-it-all little bitch that you used to be, I'm gonna have to kill you a lot sooner than I planned."

_Oh great, she plans on killing me. That's always nice to know…_ Riko shook her head. Her vision had blurred when she had been shocked, but now, it gradually started to come back, though first in blobs and odd spots. She felt aches all throughout her body now, as if the electricity had messed with all her muscles before leaving her system, and she found it very difficult to remember how to talk. When she did remember, her words were not very intelligent, "Prissy? I am not prissy."

A thudding noise – Yuuna had stamped her foot in what looked like a fit of frustration. "Do you have to deny everything that I say? You are in my power. Listen to me, bitch!"

…_Not if you talk like that…_ Still, Riko had enough control to realize that saying something like that probably would not be the smartest thing to do. She felt a great temptation to ask this girl who she was again, but quickly shut it down. Yuuna would want that.

Instead, Riko pretended to still be woozy, but instead stared at Yuuna from slit eyes, trying to figure out where the girl was from. Memories from the past came up, though most of them much too recent to be helpful.

She saw Yuuna meeting them at the entrance, ushering them into the plane and then administering the test that had determined their strengths. Kurama and Kuwabara's words echoed in her mind… _'Not living.' She's not alive,_ Riko remembered. They had called Botan to ask, but then Yuuna had come in, and later, they'd forgotten to get an answer – not that it had seemed like Botan had one forthcoming.

_Not alive… What could she possibly be if she's not alive and yet can still move around?_ Riko's brow wrinkled slightly in concentration. _A robot?_ She considered the idea, but quickly dismissed it. She was fairly certain that Kuwabara would have picked up on such a thing, had it been so. _A zombie?_ Were there such things? She had never heard or seen them – or at least, not with the self-control and will that Yuuna seemed to possess.

"Does it hurt, Keun?" Yuuna asked, cooing for a moment before her voice became harsh again. "Enjoy that. It's going to be the gentlest of the things that I do to you." She smiled, contemplating her ideas. "Yes… I'm going to torture you until you want to die, and then, I'm going to cut off your arm. And maybe some other limbs too…" She glared hatefully at Riko. "That would be fitting, wouldn't it?"

The first thing that struck Riko was Yuuna calling her 'Keun'. It had become a thing among _demons_. They would always call her 'Keun' because that was really all that they knew her as. So that told her that Yuuna was probably a demon. Or at the very least, the first time that she had met Riko, Riko had been in her Keun form, which meant that she was either on a mission…

…_Or I was stealing from her…_ Though it had been a while since Riko had stolen, she knew that she still had plenty of people who disliked her for that form of work.

The second thing that hit Riko was Yuuna's threat – not the one about torture – she'd heard that before in every single action movie she'd ever watched. No, it was the second one. The one about cutting her arm off, and the words that followed it. _'That would be fitting, wouldn't it?'_ Riko stared. _That would be fitting?_

Very slowly, as Riko watched, Yuuna rolled back the sleeves on her right arm, revealing, under the silk cloth an arm. But… not just an arm. It seemed to shine oddly, almost as if it was –

"Plastic," Yuuna said in disgust. "Synthetic plastic and metal. I had to get it made after you cut my original off." She smiled. "I've been waiting so long for this, so long so that I could finally do to you what you did to me."

A shiver ran down Riko's back.

_I cut off her arm._

'_Yuuna'._

The facts began to tumble around in Riko's mind.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>It was an extremely spirited effort, but Yusuke had sustained only minor cuts and scrapes, having managed to dodge most of Touya's shots. There was blood falling from a few, most notably from the cut at Yusuke's throat, but none of them were enough to keep Yusuke from winning the fight.<p>

Touya hung on for an extraordinary amount of time and even managed to tear some more of Yusuke's skin and land several very strong punches, but finally, with one last punch from Yusuke, he crumbled to the ground, and this time, as Koto counted, he did not get up.

There was a twinge of disappointment in Koto's eyes as she turned and declared Yusuke the victor and the match now tied with two wins apiece for each team. Even before the words had left her mouth, the last member of Team Masho had come up on stage and discarded his cloaked appearance, revealing neatly cut hair, pale, sallow skin, semi-tall dressed mostly in black with an orange embellishing and a tan-colored belt.

"Risho seems eager to start the next fight, having already come up on stage. Will he manage to win this round and bring victory to his team?" Koto asked. "Or will he go the way of Bakken and Touya and – "

"Don't be a fool," Risho spat. "I am no so weak as that." He looked down at Touya's crumbled body at his feet and kicked him, muttering under his breath. "Pathetic fools."

White hot rage exploded inside Yusuke, and he stepped forward, his spirit gun technique already forming a blue aura around him. "You little –"

A delicate hand placed itself on his shoulder, and Yusuke glanced to the side, ready to tell the interloper to back off –

It was Kurama, face deadly calm, but eyes very, very cold. He gave Yusuke a tight smile. "It's okay, Yusuke," He murmured quietly. "You've done your part. I shall take care of this enemy." His eyes flicked to Touya's form, and his lips tightened. "Do not worry."

For a moment, Yusuke seemed to struggle with the emotions, but finally, he grinned and punched Kurama. "Alright. Knock him a new one, for me."

Kurama smiled at Yusuke. "That I shall." He turned to face Risho, face blanking immediately.

Inwardly, Risho smiled. Before they had come into the fight, he had done a bit of research on the Urameshi Team and had concluded that the best people to fight would be either Kuwabara or Kurama – Kuwabara because he was a weak, pathetic human, and Kurama because he was – in Risho's eyes – even more pathetic than Kuwabara. After all, the once famous fox demon had given up all his criminal ways and _demon_ _power_ in return for affection from a human mother.

_Weak._ Risho thought. _Weak, weak, weak._

Slowly, a real smile split his face.

_You chose humanity, Kurama. I hope you enjoy the death that comes with it._

__End of Chapter 45


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N:** Possibly the longest (and shittiest) chapter ever. Please endure it and continue to read!

**Publish Date: **7/25/12

**Next Upload Date:** July 28, 2012

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 46

The conversation had started somewhere near the end of Kuwabara's fight, when Koenma had appeared in the boxed off seats that he had reserved for himself and his assistant Ogre. Ogre had informed Koenma of what had happened, what Riko had done, and Koenma had reacted by first cursing a few times, then intently watching Kuwabara's fight, and then ranting about the idiocy and pride of Riko's actions, which had placed the entirety of the mission in danger.

When Kuwabara won, Koenma had relaxed enough to steal some of the Ogre's recently bought Demon World candy and lean back in his chair for a breather. "Well, it looks like we might be okay. Now that Kuwabara's won, I have confidence that Kurama and Yusuke can take it away."

Peering down at the stadium, Ogre said thoughtfully, "Are you sure, sir? That Touya character looks rather tough, and the other guy could be extremely dangerous for all we know."

Koenma waved a hand. "I have faith in them. Kurama is a smart fellow, and Yusuke's too mule headed to lose." He sighed, a look of satisfaction crossing his face. "It seems as if Riko's decision won't mess up everything."

There was a brief silence as they watched Yusuke and Touya leap back and forth, and then Ogre asked, curiously, "Koenma, sir, I've wondered this for a while now, but how exactly did you meet Riko anyways? A lot of the people said that she was a thief, and I've heard of Keun before, but one day, she just stopped stealing and –" Ogre stopped as Koenma waved at him to be silent. "Sir?"

For a moment, Koenma seemed to battle with his instincts, but finally, he sighed. "I suppose there's no harm in telling you, though you mustn't spread it around in those little gossip sections I see you morons having all the time. This is private." Koenma glared at his assistant. "And if you don't obey, I'll have you moping up the vaults for the next thousands years, is that clear?"

"…Yes sir."

Another silence followed and then Koenma, looking down at the arena unseeingly said, "Riko first came to my attention when she stole something from a demon ally of ours. He reported the deed, but he hadn't been able to clearly classify the girl because she had been covered in strange markings – Riko always stole in Keun mode, you see – and so we didn't know exactly who she was. She was nameless for the first month, but gradually, she started to steal more and so the name 'Keun' was given to her by one victim." He shook his head. "It means 'blood' in one of the old dialects, because she killed guards in the bloodiest way possible."

Ogre frowned. "If that's the case sir, then why did you allow her to join us? Why didn't you –"

"Uh, uh, uh!" Koenma snapped, wagging a stubby toddler finger. "I'm not done." He leaned back and then continued, "After a year and a half, we managed to connect her with Ono Isshi – he was a thief who, in his youth, about forty years ago, had connections with Yoko Kurama, as you might remember. Ono had never been directly caught and had about fifteen years previously, quit his thieving and returned to the human world. We discovered that they were related – Ono was her uncle."

"Guess it runs in the family, huh, sir?" Ogre said, trying to sound jovial. He stopped immediately as Koenma glared at him again.

"Take this seriously, will you?" Below them, Touya had stopped in the middle of the stage and was speaking, though so quietly that no one but Koto and Yusuke could truly hear him. "Anyways, so we discovered who she was, her real name and her connections. It was at that point that we managed to catch her."

Ogre blinked several times. "Really sir? After so long, she was just caught?"

"Yes, but back then, Riko was a bit more in shape than she is right now, and she had the recklessness of youth on her side. Around 15, I believe – the same age Yusuke and Kuwabara were when they begun working for us." He shook his head, almost in disbelief. "That was almost two years ago of course, and she's lost a lot of the athletic ability. She can no longer outrun our agents. At the time, we had all our best people searching all over for her, but they could never catch her, though we did manage to hurt her several times."

A much longer silence followed this revelation, as Koenma looked sightlessly at Touya, who attacked Yusuke viciously – prepared to kill him – and then was blown away by Yusuke's clever trick attack and then follow up spirit gun technique.

Finally, as Touya collapsed for the last time and Koto declared Yusuke the winner, Ogre had to ask, "How did you finally get her, sir?"

Koenma started and then cleared his throat. "Oh, yes, right. I was telling a story." Ogre tried to disguise his exasperated look, but failed miserably. Luckily for the assistant, Koenma was too engrossed to recognize the expression. "Well, as you know, Riko stole only from demons, which is why she made her name with them long before she made a name with us. At the time, I believe that she had a treasure trove of over thirty artifacts and made successful robberies about once to twice a month, often leaving many dead demons."

Despite knowing that Riko had been on the Spirit World pay list for about a year now, Ogre couldn't help but shiver at the recollection of what she had been. He had heard stories of her attacks and the fame that she gained from them. For a brief time, she had been considered one of the most dangerous humans in the world, and though that had toned down much since she had joined the Spirit World side, many demons still knew her name.

As he watched Kurama square off against Risho, Koenma continued, his voice strangely distant, "It's a bit convoluted how we first connected 'Keun' with 'Riko Isshi' and 'Ono Isshi' actually. It started with a botched robbery, you see. Riko had gained information that the Natau demon family had possession of an ancient jewel that was said to allow one to view the future, and Riko snuck in to steal it.

"Being extremely rich, the Natau family had a large number of guards, much stronger than the normal variety. She managed to kill them all of course, but as you know, Riko's spirit energy is not known for its ability to endure. Dealing with the guards took quite a while, and afterwards, Riko met with the daughter of the family – Yuuna Natau. The girl was determined to fight and, since Riko wasn't known for common sense, she fought her, despite being almost out of energy."

A sigh escaped the toddler. "In the end, Riko only managed to cut the girl's arm off."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>'<em>Cut off her arm'…<em>

Riko frowned. "I know you." Her voice was surprisingly hesitant, because, though she remember the incident – she had felt the limb fall to the ground even in her Keun state, when most of her senses were blocked completely off – she did not remember Yuuna's face or her name or even her voice.

It took a moment, but very quickly, the reasons why became clear.

The face and voice part were easy to explain. When Riko became Keun, she blocked off her sense of sight and sense of hearing – opponents became just bodies that threw themselves at her and that she cut to ribbons before leaving with her treasure.

The name part was even easier. Riko didn't normally ask the names of those that she killed or tried to kill before she killed them, and the girl that she had encountered when leaving the Natau estate had been no exception.

"That's right. You'd better," Yuuna spat. "I'm the reason you got caught!"

Now Riko frowned, confused. "Excuse me?"

The only thing that she remembered about the Natau theft was that it had been the first time that she hadn't killed someone who had engaged her in a fight. She had been ambushed by someone when she had been leaving the estate with her prize in hand. Her power had been nearly depleted and had actually started to fall apart before she managed to defeat her opponent. The markings that had kept her from being properly identified had faded, giving her opponent a long look at her face, before she had managed to escape.

Riko had been unable to catch a good sight of the girl's face, due to the fact that she had been writhing around in agony and anger after having had her arm cut off.

Two days after the event, Riko had been caught by Spirit World authorities as she visited her uncle Ono.

"You were the person I fought," Riko said slowly. "You saw my face." Her frown deepen. "Did you tell the Spirit World people what to look for?"

Yuuna smirked. "I did better than that. I showed them."

Riko's eyes widened, and a frown flitted across her face in confusion.

_Showed –_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Left punch, right uppercut, kick from the side…<em>

Risho paused for a moment in his relentless attacks, stopping about ten meters from Kurama. Power began to gather around him, a strange rippling effect that gave off waves and waves of energy.

Kurama stepped back without really thinking about the action. He had been dodging for the past five minutes, quite easily, but very quickly, the action had reached a point, where not only was the audience irritated at the lack of action, but Kurama himself was quite bored by Risho's lack of creativity in the launching of his attacks. It seemed like all Risho knew to do was charge straight ahead, and under normal circumstances, Kurama would have already whipped out his rose thorn whip and sliced him to ribbons.

But Risho was a special opponent. He was one of the famed demon shinobi and so, though he might look weak, he was to be treated with extreme caution. For all Kurama knew, it could be a clever ploy to lure him into a false sense of security while Risho planned for the moment when he would launch a real attack.

It certainly seemed like this was the case as the power around Risho continued to build until Kurama felt something like heat coming off the other demon. For a moment, the power stayed steady and then there was a small pop, and Risho's skin and clothes were covered in rock and soil, which created what looked to be an impenetrable armor around him.

"What do you think,_ Kurama_?" He asked tauntingly. "This is my Armor of Clay, and it is as hard as stone." He grinned viciously. "And now," Power started to build again, this time taking a deep shade of red that pulsed and rippled around him. The crowd let out gasps as Risho leapt into the air and then curled himself into a tight ball, falling straight at Kurama as he yelled, "Meteor Attack!"

With a demeanor that was much too calm for the situation at hand, Kurama watched the oncoming Risho bullet. "Hard as stone?" He murmured under his breath as he lifted a hand up to his hair and drew out a single, perfectly formed rose. He lifted his head higher and then snapped his right hand, the rose expanding into a five meter long whip that curled itself at Kurama's feel in a perfect snake's coil. "Well then," He said, a slight smile spreading across his face as he lifted his arm and prepared to strike, "It's a pity for you then that my rose whip is harder than stone."

He swung the whip.

There was a moment as the whip wrapped itself around Risho, stopping him in his tracks, but not putting a crack in his armor, that made it seem as if Kurama's attack was going to fail. Risho certainly thought so, for after a brief surprised expression, his eyes lit in delight and he opened his mouth to speak –

The armor cracked, first tiny rivets and then expanding until it covered the entire surface. Slowly, the whip tightened, and there was another pause before the armor shattered, falling to the ground in miniscule shards of dust.

Risho fell to the ground, fell to his knees, a stunned expression on his face.

_How is he so strong – he's a human now – how –_

"Surrender," Kurama demanded, voice cool and calm. He held the whip in front of Risho's face. "Surrender now."

Risho looked up at Kurama. _How – _He bowed his head. "I surrender."

A roar went up from the audience, half in astonishment and half in anger at the Masho Team.

Immediately, Koto jumped in. "And in a startingly turn of events, the Urameshi Team has managed to recover from its initial two losses to come back and claim the victory in this fight," Koto cried, her enthusiasm seemingly regained. "Team Masho has now been eliminated and Team Urameshi will move onto the semifinals!"

_Hm,_ Kurama thought. _Semifinals. _He shook his head. _We got to semifinals, and neither Riko nor Hiei have tried to steal anything. Amazing._

"Nice job, Kurama," Yusuke called to him, grinning.

Kurama returned the smile. "Thank you, Yusuke." He looked around. "Shall we collect Riko and go?"

"Yeah, let's."

The group headed towards the stone door which led to the break room.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Koenma watched as Kurama and his team walked towards the stone door. "Two days after the botched theft, a girl appears and attempts to steal again, but this time from us. She showed up in the unmistakable Keun disguse, but then halfway through changed to Riko's face –"<p>

Ogre's eyes widened. "Changed, sir? But why would she do that?"

"I'm getting there," Koenma replied. "Anyways, so she reveals her face, goes on a rampage, kills several guards and then tries to escape, but she gets caught and killed –"

"KILLED?" Ogre squeak. "Riko died? But, we just – I just – what?"

Koenma's eyes were more serious now. "The girl wasn't Riko. Her name, we found out later, was Yuuna. Yuuna Natau. The girl that Riko revealed her face to."

Confusion tinged every inch of the Ogre's blue face. "But – how, sir?"

There was a darkness on Koenma's face as he looked at his assistant.

"She's a shapeshifter."

"A shapeshifter?"

Koenma nodded. "Yes. In order to frame Riko for a worse crime – the killing of Spirit World guards - and to allow her to be caught, Yuuna changed herself to resemble Riko and pretended to steal from us." He sighed. "Things didn't work out quite as planned though. As she was attempting to leave, one of our men fired after her. It was a fatal wound." He shook his head. "It was thanks to her though that we investigated Riko, found her connection to Ono and then caught up with her."

"So…" Ogre said, frowning slightly. "She's dead, sir?"

"Yes, she died. Her family took her body back the same day. They were…" He sighed again. "Quite furious. You see when a shapeshifter dies while shapeshifting, they don't change back to their original form. I believe that Yuuna knew this fact and when she realized that she was dying, she attempted to change back to her true shape, but death caught her before she managed it. The last I saw her body, it was still mostly Riko's." His eyes saddened. "That is considered the worst insult for a shapeshifter, to die in a form that's not their own."

Ogre nodded, thoughtfully quiet for once.

Koenma stood up, turning back into his teenage self. He ran a hand through his hair. "I hate to say it, but it's a good thing that Yuuna is dead, because if she wasn't, she would probably still be going after Riko." He shook his head. "And seeing as how she's so determined she gave up her life the first time… I could be one of these men." He nodded out the window at the millionaires gearing up to watch their next fight, "And I still wouldn't bet on her."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>The stone door swung open, and together, the Urameshi team stepped through the entranceway<p>

It took a moment for them to adjust their eyes to the dimmer light, but when they did, it became apparent very quickly that something wasn't right.

Riko wasn't there.


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N:** ...I'm gonna stop berating myself for how bad it is and move on to my announcement. I'm gonna be really busy catching up on work for the next few weeks, so updates will be spotty. Still, I hope you guys will stick with me!

ALSO, I had a friend draw this up for me. It's Riko ~ She's a great artist, and I love her! (Remove the parentheses & spaces.)

floquine . deviantart .com(/) gallery / # / d5alrdf

**Update Date**: 8/8/12

**Next Upload Date**: Unknown.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 47

"…Huh." Yusuke blinked and then stared around the room. "Is it just me or is Riko not here?"

With a straight face, Kurama replied, "She's not here." He looked around, checking more carefully in the shadows, but saw no sign of the petite healer. "Riko isn't exactly known for her patience. She probably went back already."

"That sounds like her," Yusuke said, grinning. "I bet she's dead on the couch." He rolled his arms. "I hope she's feeling better, 'cause Touya really managed to cut me up."

There was a moment's pause as Yusuke and Kuwabara turned to walk out of the stadium. Kurama caught Hiei's eye. The fire ice demon's normal cold gaze had darkened slightly at Yusuke's mention of Riko's healing abilities. His left hand tightened, but the right remained mostly unmovable aside from a slight twitch. The pain hadn't come back yet, but he still couldn't move it.

Kurama raised an eyebrow at Hiei, who let his eyes flick to meet Kurama's and then turned swiftly to walk after Yusuke and Kuwabara. After a moment, Kurama followed. He stopped at the door to glance back into the dimly lit room, at the couches, chairs and short dining table piled with small snacks for fighters on break.

There was no suggestion of foul play, but still, Kurama felt a shiver go down his back. Something here did not feel right.

Less than fifteen minutes later, he was proved right as the group arrived at their rooms, opened the door and were greeted with – no Riko.

In one swift stride, Kurama had crossed the room and opened the door to Riko's room. He glanced back at his team. "She's not here."

As Yusuke cursed and Kuwabara began to open up his spirit senses to the world, Kurama walked further into the room and searched around more deeply – just in case Riko had managed to roll into some hidden crevice.

Nothing.

Grimacing, Kurama walked back out. "Anything?" He inquired softly of Kuwabara.

The orange-haired young man shook his head, frustrated. "Nothing. She didn't come back here."

Nodding, Kurama turned his attention to Yusuke, who was fumbling with something in his pocket. "Have you called Botan?"

"Doing that now," Yusuke snapped. He paused and then said, "Hey, Botan, have you seen Riko?" He listened and then shook his head before answering sardonically, "No. If I knew where she was, why would I be asking you? We checked the break room, she's not there, we just got back to the rooms, and she's not here either. Orange-head over here says that he can't sense her aura anywhere around here – no, Botan, I don't know if she decided to go exploring or not. And why would she do that? Riko is one of the laziest people I've ever met. She doesn't move for anything except her pride and treasure."

_Treasure._ The word resonated in Kurama's mind. Riko drops out of a fight and then doesn't show up at the end of the match – all this on the same island that held the Sakar Brooch, one of the most powerful spirit treasures known to any of the worlds. A twist started in Kurama's belly. Hiei had resisted the urge to steal the brooch. Had Riko fallen to it?

He slipped over to the door and opened it and then stopped abruptly. Koenma was standing on the other side in full teenage form. Kurama's surprise lasted only a moment and then the fox demon gave the spirit world leader a smile and bowed him inside. "Did you hear?" He asked quietly.

"Yes," Koenma replied, equally quiet. He didn't look at Kurama as he walked in. "I checked the brooch. It's safe. Riko's energy wasn't anywhere around it, and I'm sure that we both know that there's little chance that she could have even got close to the brooch without using her power."

The knot in Kurama's stomach relaxed. Riko hadn't gone to steal the brooch after all. It was a relief to know that the next criminal that he was going to chase down wasn't going to be one of his former allies. Kurama relaxed slightly and then tensed again. If Riko really hadn't gone to take the brooch, then it meant that she was truly missing – missing, and with no clue as to where she was.

"Do you know where she is?" Kurama asked.

Now Koenma looked at Kurama, his gaze very calm, but his eyes tinged with just the slightest hint of worry as he admitted, "I don't have a clue."

At that moment, Kuwabara poked his head out of Riko's room and shook his head. "I can't feel anything," He announced, his voice very worried. "It's almost like she was never even here."

Kurama's mouth tightened as the worry in his stomach began to build again. Kuwabara couldn't detect Riko's spirit signature. Yusuke and Kurama were fairly useless in the tracking department, and even Koenma didn't know where Riko was, so that left only -

"Hiei."

The diminutive swordsman glanced at Kurama and then lowered his head again, his pale eyelids flitting shut over deep red eyes. Inside his mind, thousands of thoughts swirled, each one tainted with a specific tone and energy that connected it with its human or demon source. He could feel Yusuke and Kuwabara's blatant worry, Kurama and Koenma's more hidden, but still strong concern for the missing girl. In the distance, he could feel more worry – Botan, Shizuru, Keiko, and Yukina were approaching.

Hiei lingered a moment on the mind of the young ice demoness. He could only detect surface emotions, which at this point were limited to worry after what she had heard of Botan's half of her conversation with Yusuke and, just a bit deeper, happiness that the Urameshi Team had come back and won the fight. Still, there didn't seem to be any deep troubles in her mind, for which Hiei was grateful.

After another brief glance at Yukina's mind, Hiei turned back to his real job: trying to find Riko's mind among all the others.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"You were the girl who impersonated me and killed those guards," Riko said slowly. "You were the reason that they finally figured out who I am." Several thoughts flicked through her head, but for once, Riko managed to zone out the less important ones and focus on the most pressing issue at hand. "But - they killed you. They gave your body back to your family. You're –" Riko stopped mid-sentence, realizing that the train of thought that she was currently riding would eventually lead her to asking the question 'How are you still alive?' a question that she was fairly certain Yuuna was waiting for.<p>

A struggle ensued between the wish to not satisfy Yuuna's whims and the wish to really know what the hell was going on. Finally, Riko decided to compromise. She leaned her head back, relaxing her body to seem as casual as possible and continued her sentence, "You're dead. Or supposedly anyways. I guess Spirit World isn't as good at checking their bodies as I thought." She shrugged. "Neat trick, getting out of there without them noticing that you were still alive."

As she had expected, Yuuna corrected her. "I was dead," The petite, orange-haired girl said. "My family is extremely wealthy and powerful. They brought me back."

…_Well, that would explain why Kuwabara couldn't tell what she was…_ Riko thought. Aloud, she said coolly, "It's that easy to come back to life? I'm surprised that more people aren't doing so."

Yuuna snapped, "Of course it's not easy. It took a fortune and almost two years to bring me back!" She looked down at her petite wrists, scowling. "And I'm still not perfect." Her head lifted again, and she glared hatefully into Riko's eyes. "It's your fault. I'll kill you for this!" She jabbed a button on her remote.

An electric current ran through the wall and sent Riko into a spasm. She screamed and blacked out briefly, stirring back into consciousness just several seconds later, breathing heavily, all of her thoughts scrambled and memories foggy.

When she managed to focus again, Yuuna was speaking again, her voice soft and sweet. "- Slow and deadly. You'll die here, screaming and begging, and I will record every motion that you go through, and once you're gone, I will show the world what happened to the great Keun after she crossed me. Not just death, but complete annihilation."

…'_Annihilation.' _Riko shook her head mentally. _This girl is definitely not stable._ She waited for the last sparks to fade from her vision before glancing back up at Yuuna. "Annihilation, really?" She asked, keeping her voice as neutral as she could. She couldn't stop talking – Yuuna might proceed to more torture – and yet at the same time, she couldn't say anything that would provoke Yuuna too much and make the resurrected demoness shock her again. "I wasn't even the one that killed you and yet, I'm the one that you're going to annihilate?"

"You cut off my arm!" Yuuna shrieked. "Do you know how horrible it is to have a metallic arm?!"

…_Apparently, a lot more horrible than being dead…_ Riko knew that she shouldn't say anything and just let Yuuna rant, but a part of her couldn't help but ask, "Your family could bring you back to life, but they couldn't grow you another arm?"

"No one can do that."

"Huh, funny," Riko said, throwing caution to the wind as her voice grew more mocking. "'Cause last I checked, _I_ can –"

Riko broke off mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she realized what she had been about to say. And, more importantly, the significance of it.

_I can do it,_ Riko thought. _I can regrow limbs. I can -_

"HIEI!" The shriek – loud and dramatic enough to match one of Yuuna's – reverberated around the room. Riko pulled her arms as far against her bonds as she could and then pounded them back hard, repeating the motion over and over again as she did the same thing with her feet. It created a cacophonous clatter that echoed around the steel room that melded painfully with Riko's screaming.

In the back of her mind, Riko wondered what she was thinking. She was endangering her own life by acting out while still a captive, and there was little chance that Hiei would ever hear her and even smaller chance that he would actually be able to find her. Still, her healer's pride made her scream again, "HIEI!"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Just as Hiei was about to give up on finding Riko and pretend – to Yusuke and Kuwabara, at least – that he had been doing no such thing, a shattering thought exploded into intensity in his mind. It was so strong that it took Hiei a moment to really register it as Riko's mind, the thoughts so strong that he was fairly certain that Riko had to be screaming the words aloud.<p>

"Hiei?" It was Kurama's voice. "Are you alright?"

_Worrisome fox,_ Hiei thought irritably. He waved one hand at Kurama and zoomed in on the remnants of Riko's voice. Before he could track her down however, she began to broadcast again, louder than ever.

_YOU'D BETTER FIND ME, CAUSE I CAN DO IT, HIEI!_

_Do what? _Hiei frowned, confused by Riko's words and even more confused by the fact that she seemed to be speaking to him directly. Either she was a very lucky person or she had managed to develop telepathy skills since the last time they had met, and he was willing to bet that it wasn't the latter. His ponderings were cut short as Riko's next thought-scream came through.

_I CAN FIX YOUR ARM!_

Hiei froze. His eyes widened, and his right hand attempted to clench. _'Fix' –_

_COME FIND ME! I'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY YUU –_

And then, there was a sudden breaking in thought, a feeling of intense pain, as if Riko had been electrocuted and had not enjoyed the experience in the slightest, and suddenly, Riko's mind winked out of his line of monitoring again. She was gone.

Without really meaning to, Hiei punched the windowsill, ignoring the mild pain that sparked at the bottom of his fist.

"Hiei?" It was Kurama, voice full of concern.

Without answering, Hiei stood up. His right hand tingled. The pain was starting to return now, a thin numbing feeling that ate away at his boundaries. He clenched his left hand into a tight fist. _I have to find her._

"Hiei." Kurama again, but this time, his voice had a bit of steel in it. He stepped in front of Hiei, so that Hiei had to look at him. "What did you sense? Did you find Riko?"

It took Hiei a moment to collect himself enough to answer in a tone that was calm and cold enough to not come off as strange. "Obviously, I sensed her presence," He began condescendingly, staring coldly into Kurama's eyes and ignoring the crowd that had gathered behind him. Botan, Keiko, Shizuru, and Yukina had arrived not long after Hiei had started his search, and while Shizuru looked rather unconcerned with the whole of things, the other three looked very worried. "She's been kidnapped."

"By who?" Kuwabara asked urgently.

Hiei threw Kuwabara a withering glance, which Kuwabara returned briefly before returning to his worried expression. "That piece of information is rather vague. She disappeared before she could tell me the whole name."

"Disappeared?" Shizuru asked, her voice very dry. "What, is she dead?"

"Shizuru!" Keiko exclaimed, shocked at Shizuru's bluntness. "Don't say something like that!"

"Why? If she is, it's not going to matter. And if she isn't, it's not like my saying it will make it true."

"Yes, but –"

"She's not dead," Hiei cut in. "She was knocked out." Deep inside, Hiei knew that he had no real idea whether or not Riko was dead. She could be, for all he knew. Once a mind dropped off the radar, he had no connection to them whatsoever. Still, he couldn't admit to himself that there was the possibility that she could be dead. If he did –

His hand twitched again, and pain dug into the palm, slowly spreading.

'_I can fix your arm.'_

"Kurama." The word from Hiei's mouth was much more like a statement than anything else. Kurama raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond, waiting instead for Hiei to finish his thought. "Whose name do we know that starts with 'Yuu'?"

A frown creased Kurama's brow. "Yuu – Yuuna." The frown deepened. "Riko gave you Yuuna's name? Hiei –"

Already standing at the door, Hiei glanced back. "She gave me 'Yuu'. Can you think of anyone else?" He turned and sped down the hallway, quickly disappearing from sight.

Back in the room, Koenma had turned white. "Did you say Yuuna?" He asked, voice deadly calm.

Kurama's gaze flicked from the open door to his boss. "Yes. Do you know her? She was the girl who introduced us on the first day."

Koenma shook his head. "I was late that day. I missed the introductions." His eyes darkened. "But I know her."

A shiver ran down Kurama's back.

End of Chapter 47

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed!<p> 


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: **I am _finally_ back. I really hope that you guys still even remember this/want this, cause I know that I really missed this, and...yeah. xD I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter and that you guys want more!

**Upload Date:** 9/28/12

**Next Upload Date:** We shall see. In less than a month. :P

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 48

Hiei sped down the hall at a speed that would have shamed Olympians, and it was only because of his incredible reflexes that he managed to stop in time as a tall figure turned the corner. Under normal circumstances, Hiei would have simply gone around the figure, but there was something familiar – and potentially useful - about this particular obstacle.

The tall, handsome figure blinked at the rather short demon that stood before him. "Hiei, was it?" Jirou asked. "Shouldn't you be preparing for your next fight?"

Normally, Hiei would have zapped by this annoyingly tall young man, but a part of him knew that it would be almost impossible to find Riko with no other information than her captor's name, and another part acknowledged that Jirou – and more likely, his extremely rich father – would have a much better chance of tracking down Yuuna than he would. So for the moment, Hiei answered Jirou's questions.

"Preparation is Kurama's area. I have more important things to worry about."

Jirou raised an eyebrow. "Preparing for a fight that could take you out of the tournament isn't important? I would have thought that winning this thing was why your team came to this island. What else is there for you?"

There was some hesitation in Hiei's mind. Relaying the entire reason would give the impression that he cared about someone, but he definitely could use Jirou's help. In the end, Hiei settled on an alternative, "Do you know a Yuuna?"

A frown flitted across Jirou's face, creasing his brow. "Yuuna – that sounds familiar." Silence pervaded the hall for a moment as Jirou searched his memory for the name. Hiei waited impatiently, glaring at anyone who passed by. Finally, Jirou looked back at Hiei. "Is she one of the team guides?" At Hiei's nod, Jirou nodded as well. "Yes, I know her. Why are you looking for her? Does your team require assistance with something?"

Again, Hiei paused for a moment before answering simply, "I'd like to have a conversation with her." Unconsciously, his hands – both of them – clenched into tight fights.

The movement was noted by Jirou, who said nothing about it, but instead turned around and began to walk down the hall. "I'm not quite sure where she is," He explained as he walked. "Technically, all the guides are supposed to be housed together in another section of this hotel, but Yuuna is a bit of a special case."

Immediately, Hiei pricked up. "Special?" He asked, allowing his hands to relax a bit. There was a tingling in his right, and he absently flexed it. Any lingering power that might have been left in the limb would soon be gone, and the pain would return full force, but if he was lucky, adrenaline would keep that at bay until he could find the girl.

They reached the end of the hall, where a chrome elevator door hummed quietly. Jirou stopped and pressed the button, then leaned against the wall so that he could look at Hiei as he began to explain. "Most of the guides are just some demons from the entertainment business who are just starting out and want some experience." The numbers above the elevator door glowed faintly, as the elevator proceeded down to their level. "Yuuna, however, is a bit of a mystery."

By this point, Hiei was getting a bit impatient. "A mystery?" He asked. "And I understand that you humans like to jump around the point to create drama. I don't have time to humor you, so without the dramatic pauses." There was a brief silence as Jirou raised an eyebrow at Hiei, bemused, and then, as an afterthought, Hiei added, "Please."

Before Jirou had time to either laugh or get irritated, the elevator gave a soft _ding_ and then the chrome doors slid open with just the slightest of hisses. There were two people inside – demons obviously, based on their scent, but Hiei didn't recall seeing either of their faces in any of the teams of other demons. Both were carrying light blue, laminated folders. One of them excused himself past the two, while the other – a tall, willowy creature with deep, rich, blue hair - extended the folder out to Hiei.

"Mr. Hiei? These are instructions for your team."

Hiei looked at the folder disdainfully, and Jirou stepped in. "Miss, could you take these to Team Urameshi's rooms? Mr. Hiei will be preoccupied for a bit."

The demoness nodded and stepped from the elevator as Hiei and Jirou stepped in. Jirou pressed the lobby button, and once the door closed, explained, "There are only a few teams left, so they're working out the order of the remaining fights." And then, upon seeing the look on Hiei's face, which stated very clearly that he was not interested, Jirou gave a very small smile and returned to the other matter at hand: Yuuna.

"You see, Yuuna isn't a wannabe starlet, as far as we've been able to tell. This is the first job that she has done in the entertainment industry. And, she seems to have a very close connection with Valeina Ferai, one of the richer attendees to the tournament." Jirou watched Hiei's face closely as he talked, noting the irritation was building up in his face. "It's suspected that she's sponsoring Yuuna. She has a house on the tournament grounds."

Hiei watched the elevator numbers slowly slide down. "And we're headed there?"

"Yes."

Something close to a smile tinted Hiei's eyes. "Good." He flexed his right hand.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Back inside Team Urameshi's living room, explanations were flying around at an extreme speed, along with the occasional snide remarks from Shizuru, who, though she looked mildly concerned, wasn't inclined to show it in her comments. At the far side of the room, where he had moved when Koenma had finished the bulk of his story, Kurama was leaning against the wall, staring at the ceiling with an intense concentration.<p>

"So, you're saying that Yuuna was killed by Riko?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes," Koenma confirmed. "I saw the body myself."

"Then how did she kidnap Riko?"

Koenma lifted his shoulders helplessly. "I wish I knew. It's – possible – that they brought her back to life – Yuuna's family is very powerful. They might have accomplished such a thing."

"And you didn't catch something like that?" Shizuru asked, raising a thin eyebrow. "Some security your place has."

Koenma glared at Shizuru. "Over a hundred thousand people die every single day, and we are ridiculously understaffed. It's impossible to keep up with every single death. We do the best we can." The young god looked back at Yusuke. "I'm not certain, but at the moment, that seems to be the most likely scenario. We can only assume that she is out for revenge."

"What do you think she'll do?" Kuwabara asked, blue eyes filled with concern.

The expression on Koenma's face struggled. "It's hard to tell. I didn't know her personally, but I heard reports that when she was alive, Yuuna was an extremely dramatic person. I imagine that death will only have aggravated that characteristic. It's possible that she'll only torture Riko for a while."

"Only?" Keiko said softly.

Yusuke glanced at her and then past her at Yukina, who was looking pale. "Keiko… maybe you guys should – take a walk or something."

Keiko seemed about to argue for a moment, but stopped when Yusuke widened his eyes and flicked them towards Yukina. The human girl took in the sight of her new demoness friend, and her mouth tightened. "Yeah, I think that might be a good idea. Let's get some fresh air, Yukina." Keiko hooked her arm in Yukina's and then looked back at Botan and Shizuru. "Coming?"

Shizuru lazily extricated herself from the couch and made her way over to the door, playing with a cigarette in her pocket as she did so. Botan hesitated for a moment, glanced at Koenma and then back at Keiko, shaking her head. "I think I'll stay for a while, thanks."

Nodding, Keiko opened the door and walked out. The door closed behind them with an almost deafeningly soft _click_.

Silence invaded the room, crawling through every crevice.

Yusuke and Kuwabara, who were both leaning against the couch, were staring respectively out the window and at the floor, faces intense with worry. They both owed healings to Riko, and besides that, she had turned out to be much more entertaining than they had first thought she could be. She was a friend. A friend who had been kidnapped by someone who definitely meant harm.

Koenma and Botan were having similar thoughts, exchanging silent glances. Koenma's were a little more analytical, revolving around the consequences if Yuuna's family really had conspired to bring her back to life, while Botan's revolved more around what was happening to Riko, but neither said anything, faces taut with concern.

Only Kurama's face was empty of any expression, his eyes blinking slowly as if he was calculating, contemplating –

Someone knocked at the door.

There was a comical moment as everyone in the room stiffened, a position change that almost caused the two boys against the couch to fall over. They both scrambled, nearly crashed heads, swore at each other and then adjusted their attention back to the door, which Botan had, by that time, opened.

In the doorway was a demoness with dark blue hair. She was tall and slender, with the kind of grace that was normally attributed only to ballet dancers. A light blue, laminated folder was held in one immaculately kept hand. With a polite smile, she held the folder out to Botan. "This is for Urameshi Team."

Botan took the folder and opened it, but before she could take more than a preliminary glance, Kurama had reached over her shoulder and taken it. Ignoring Botan's indignant, "Hey!", Kurama flipped through the pages, asking as he did so, "What is this?"

The young woman was already leaving, but paused, halfway out of sight of the doorway and replied, "They're instructions for the last few rounds of the tournament," and then walked away.

"What's it say?" Kuwabara asked, crowding behind Kurama and peering over the other teen's shoulder.

"'Dear Remaining Participants," Kurama read:

_The Blood Games are drawing quickly to a close, with only seven teams left in the running for the first place prize, the Sakar Brooch and a wish of their choice. Lots have been drawn and the final schedule for the last few fights are listed below. Quarterfinal fights will happen this afternoon, and carry on to tomorrow morning. Semifinals and finals will be started as soon as possible, and we aim to be finished by tomorrow evening, so that the prizes may be distributed._

_Thank you all so much for participating, and we hope that you enjoy your remaining time with us._

"Sincerely," Kurama concluded, "The Committee." He shook his head.

"What's the schedule?" Koenma asked, drawing closer.

Regarding the piece of paper, Kurama took a moment and then replied, with a note of surprise in his voice, "We have a by in the quarterfinals. We'll be going against the winner of the third quarterfinal fight tomorrow at ten in the morning."

Despite the mild irritation and extreme worry roiling in the pit of his stomach, Yusuke couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "We have a by in something? That's a first."

"I suspect Mr. Uehara rigged it for us," Kurama murmured as he returned to examining the paper.

"That rich guy?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes. He wants us to win, so he probably influenced the 'lots'." Kurama shook his head and closed the folder, handing it to Koenma, who opened it and began to examine the papers. "We should probably prepare."

"What about Riko?" Kuwabara protested. "We can't just leave her with someone that might kill her."

"No, we can't," Kurama agreed, "But we also have no means to find her, and at this point in time, we really can't afford to lose any more team members."

Kuwabara had opened his mouth to protest, and Yusuke's scowl had become more and more pronounced, but Kurama began talking again quickly to cut them off.

"We came here to win this tournament – we have a mission. Riko knew that. Riko wants that. Hiei is already looking for her, and frankly, he is probably our best bet. Yusuke, you and I have no tracking skills, and Kuwabara, in a place like this, where everything is completely covered with demonic and human energies, I'm not sure that you'd be able to pick up anything helpful." Kurama looked back and forth between the two, keeping eye contact briefly but strongly before continuing. "For the moment, we should concentrate on winning."

A heavy sigh escaped Yusuke, almost entirely out of frustration. He headed towards the door.

"Where you going?" Kuwabara called.

"For a walk," Yusuke called back.

Kurama waited until Yusuke was almost gone before saying, "Yusuke." The teenage detective glared back at Kurama. "Trust Riko. Trust Hiei. She'll be fine."

Yusuke snorted. "Yeah. Trust a girl who can fight for about twenty minutes and then faints. Trust a guy who _hates_ humans to rescue her. Yeah. She'll be _fine_." He slammed the door behind him and started down the hall, not sure where he was going and not really caring.

Part of him knew that Kurama was right – as he almost always was – but there was something strange about not saving someone – about leaving it up to Hiei to save that person. It was his job. He should be looking for Riko.

_Never mind that I'd have about as much chance of finding her as Yukina has of finding her brother._

Another irritated breath left Yusuke, and he stomped on that thought. He rounded the corner and then stopped, eyes widening and then narrowing.

"Keiko? What are you guys doing back? I thought you were going for a walk." He frowned. "And where's Shizuru?"

Keiko and Yukina were coming down the hall, walking close next to each other. They stopped in front of Yusuke. "Oh. Um, Shizuru's having a smoke, and… Well," Keiko shrugged, looking away from Yusuke. "We just thought – well, you know – that it'd be better for us to be there, even if we can't really do anything." Her cheeks flushed faintly red, she quickly added, "Where are you going anyways?"

"For a walk," Yusuke said, as he started to walk past them. "I need to clear my head."

"Oh." Keiko looked after him. "Do you – uh – do you want me to come with you?"

"No."

A scowl spread itself across Keiko's face. _That jerk_. "I'll see you later, Yukina," She said hurriedly, before speeding down the hall after Yusuke. "I'm coming with you," She announced, lifting her nose into the air and refusing to look at Yusuke.

"Okay." Yusuke shrugged, feigning disdain, but something inside him eased slightly – as if something was finally right. He glanced to the side. Keiko's brown hair, around her shoulders, her indignant face, her stuck-up nose –

Slowly, without even realizing it, Yusuke began to smile.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"So, someone found out that you have her?"<p>

Yuuna glanced back at the dark lady in the doorway. "I don't know. I just know that she started screaming for no reason."

The lady nodded her stately head. "You'll have to hurry up then. I want her dead before anyone has time to get in here. Torture her if you wish, but by the end of the tournament, I want her body to be destroyed beyond recognition." She turned on her heels and walked away, as Yuuna turned to look back at Riko.

The girl was still unconscious. Yuuna stepped up to her and reached out to touch Riko's arm with her own mechanical one. Her eyes glowed with a passionate mix of bloodlust and revenge.

"Now," Yuuna whispered with true adherence to dramatic villain lines, "Shall I make you feel what I did?"

End of Chapter 48

* * *

><p>So close to the big 50!<p> 


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: **Well... it was just barely less than a month. xD I'll try harder. I'm working on the next chapter right now, I promise. Anyways, I hope that you guys are still reading and enjoying after all this time. Lots of love ~

**Upload Date:** 10/20/12

**Next Upload Date:** Hopefully next week sometime.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 49

"Hey, Kurama?"

Kurama looked over at the very cranky, black-haired teenager staring crossly at his cup of orange juice – freshly squeezed and forced upon him by Keiko herself. It was completely empty, attesting partially to Keiko's skill at cooking and partially to Yusuke's extremely tired and hungry state after waking up on the couch where he had passed out the night before after a temper tantrum in the forest, during which he had unearthed almost half an acre of trees and had only been prevented from finishing the job by a stern talking to from Keiko.

"What can I do for you, Yusuke?" Kurama asked, trying to put a jovial tone into his voice.

Yusuke lifted the cup to his mouth, paused briefly and then stared at it. Keiko came up behind him and took the cup away. Yusuke stared at his empty hand for a moment and then said, "Tell me again why we only have three people on our team." Keiko walked back and placed a newly filled cup in Yusuke's hand before walking back to her own meal.

Very lightly, Kurama let out a sigh and glanced out the window. Neither Riko nor Hiei had showed up anytime during the night – a fact that Kurama knew for certain as he had spent most of the night waiting by the window. There was a sinking worry in Kurama that maybe it had been the wrong decision to just send Hiei – but it was much too late to worry about that.

"We only have three people on our team," Kurama started, voice very light, "Because one of them has been –" Kurama paused and then continued with, "Abducted, and another is looking for her."

"So why are we still here?"

"Because Koenma wants us to stay, and we have to fight."

A silence followed this that was so long and sullen that it was only broken when Botan opened the door and poked her head in. Her eyes were unusually bloodshot, and her hair was much fluffier than normal. "It's time to go, guys. The match starts in twenty minutes." She stepped into the room, Yukina following behind her, and then closed the door silently.

"Then we'll go in twenty minutes," Yusuke replied, irritation almost dripping from his mouth. Despite his words however, he stood up and went to the kitchen. "Yo, Kuwabara. Let's go."

Kuwabara stood up, face very sober and walked out of the kitchen. His face lit as he saw Yukina. "Hey, Yukina, how are you? Did you sleep okay?"

"I slept… a decent amount," Yukina replied. "Thank you."

"That's good," Kuwabara said, smiling at her. His smiled faded a bit as he refocused to Botan. "Botan, have you heard anything?"

Botan shook her head. "No. Unfortunately, Hiei hasn't been keeping in touch."

Instantly, Kuwabara's face fell again. He plopped down on the couch and looked down at his hands. "We should be looking for her." Concerned, Yukina walked towards the couch and sat next to him.

Something like a sigh escaped Botan. She walked over and sat on Kuwabara's other side. "Listen, I know it's tough, and it might seem… cruel of Koenma to keep you guys here instead of fighting, but it's crucial that you win that brooch. If anyone with the intent to use it lays hands on it, it will cause serious damage and many, many deaths."

"Riko will be okay," Yukina added. "Hiei will find her. He is very reliable."

Despite the situation, Botan couldn't help smiling and, in order to keep Kuwabara or Yukina from getting suspicious, turned her head away and coughed lightly into her sleeve before turning back. "Yukina's right. Hiei can handle the job."

Kuwabara continued to stare forlornly at his hands for a few moments, but finally stood up and shook his head. "Alright. Let's do this."

Back in the kitchen a similar conversation was occurring between Yusuke and Keiko, though not quite as polite.

"That bastard. She's been working for him for like a year, and he can't stop a little mission just to help her." Yusuke lifted his glass, newly filled with the last of the orange juice, up to his lips and drank briefly before setting it down again.

Keiko looked at him, half-concerned, half-amused. "Yusuke… you're starting to sound like your mother on a bad day."

Yusuke snorted. "Oh please. All her days are bad."

They both laughed a bit and then fell into silence, with Yusuke still staring at his glass and Keiko watching him quietly. After a moment, she spoke up again, "He's just trying to do his job, Yusuke. It's not his fault."

"Yeah, well, his job is making it pretty damn hard for us," Yusuke snapped. "We're down to three people, which means that we can't lose – which is impossible when you consider dumbass is on our team, which is even worse cause dumbass worries the most and probably won't even be able to fight properly."

"Stop calling Kuwabara 'dumbass'," Keiko interrupted. "And he's a good fighter, like you." Yusuke coughed derisively. Keiko continued, ignoring him. "And besides, Riko seems very strong herself. She should be fine."

"Yeah, right," Yusuke snorted again. "She's a healer. She can't even fight without something to help her, and I pretty damn sure that Yuuna or whoever took her didn't let her keep her toys."

Keiko stood up. "Fine then. That's why you have to hurry up and win this and then you can go looking for her, too. Let's go, Yusuke." She slipped a hand around his arm and dragged him to his feet and then outside to the living room where Kuwabara, Botan, and Yukina were getting to their feet.

Botan turned to smile at them. "Are we ready?"

"Whatever," Yusuke mumbled grumpily as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah," Kuwabara said, nodding determinedly.

Turning, Botan glanced at the young man standing near the window. "Kurama?"

Kurama paused for a moment, eyes misting slightly, but finally, nodded.

"Yes. Let's go."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>When Riko regained consciousness, she had been removed from her chains. In fact, she had been removed from the steel box altogether. She was now in what looked like a bedroom, lying on a queen-sized bed with black bed sheets and black drapes around the sides that obscured her from the rest of the room and cast a shadowy haze over the rest of the room for her.<p>

Slowly, Riko pushed herself to a sitting position. Her head was fuzzy, but not as much as she would have thought after electrocuted several times. _It's amazing that I still remember anything after all that._ Riko looked around.

At the moment, it looked like she was completely alone. Her eyes searched the room, and instinctively, she reached out a hand and touched the black veils. As she did, a tiny spark slid from the black veil and sank into Riko's skin. Shocked, Riko pulled her hand back and shook it as if the motion could dislodge the spark that had already disappeared into her body.

_Shit. Shit, shit, shit –_

Riko waved her hand harder and then concentrated hard on it, instinctively sending a thread of spirit energy chasing after the spark. Her purple fire wrapped around the black spark and smothered it. There was a moment of calm, as Riko relaxed, and then something rippled through her body.

Instantly, Riko doubled over. The black spark had pulsed inside her power and then grown, gnawing away at her power, devouring it at a very fixed rate.

"It's a spirit eater."

The quiet, but powerful voice made Riko jump and then wince as she hit the black veil and more black sparks shot into her body, speeding up the process. Carefully this time, she turned, looking for the source of the voice.

It was a tall, dark lady, her face smooth and proud and very, very strong. She was standing in front of what looked to be a door, though Riko couldn't remember the sound of a door opening or closing.

"Who are you?" Riko asked. She was tempted to attack the sparks again – every instinct told her to – but she resisted the urge. For the moment at least.

The woman took several steps forward, her high heels creating a dark echo throughout the room. "I'm Valeina Ferai."

Riko blinked – once – twice. "…I'm sorry, but that means nothing to me."

"I was Yuuna's mother."

Though there were several parts of that sentence that could have sparked intrigue in Riko, it was the verb chosen that made her asked, "'Was'?"

Valeina shrugged. "Well, she is dead after all."

"…Yes, but you brought her back…"

"Oh, that's not what I was speaking of," Valeina said calmly, waving her hand absently. "She was dead to me far before she got herself killed by you. No family of mine ought to be so stupid as to become obsessed with one _human_ girl who wasn't even strong enough to get out of our house unharmed. It was disgraceful. I disowned her."

…_I should be very offended by those words,_ Riko thought, but she had other things to occupy her attention. "Why did you bring her back then?"

"The family wanted it. It's a tradition that if we are beaten, the one who is beaten must have a part in taking down the one who beat us."

"So, why are you here?" Riko asked. She rubbed her hands together absently, and when that didn't warm them any, she sat on them, fidgeting nervously. She could feel the black sparks digging deeper into her body, gnawing away at her power at an alarming rate.

"Our traditions only say that the one who is beaten must have a part. It never indicated how large. Yuuna tortured you – she had a part. Her part is finished now." Valeina's voice seemed to almost purr with satisfaction. "She is finished now."

The chill that had been eating at Riko's hands now ran down her spine, and despite knowing that she shouldn't ask, she did. "Finished?"

Valeina's head moved in a swift nod. "Oh, yes. I had her killed as soon as she got tired of torturing you."

Riko's head spun. "You… killed your own – wow, that is cold-blooded." Riko shook her head, trying to keep emotion from her voice. "What are you doing to me then? What are these – sparks?"

"It's a curse," Valeina explained. "That veil is made up of demonic energy, designed to keep you in. It also has the added side effect of eating away your spirit energy if you come in contact with it – which you did – and I'm sure that you know what happens when all of your spirit energy disappears." Valeina's head tilted down, as if she was looking at something. "Given what I've gathered about your state of power, it shouldn't take more than two hours."

She turned and walked away from Riko again, and soon a rectangular path of light opened up – a door – and framed Valeina in it. "If you'll excuse me," The lady said in a cold, demure voice, "I have to go now. I promised a friend of mine that I would attend the semifinals. Did you know that your team is competing in them? Right now in fact." She tapped perfectly kept nails on the door frame. "Imagine. In two hours, they will either all be slaughtered or about to head into the finals. All without you, of course. You'll be dead."

The door shut behind her, leaving Riko in the darkest room that she had never imagined.

There was something very tumultuous throwing itself around Riko's stomach now, a gnawing that almost equaled the gnawing of the demon energy at her spirit energy – fear, blinding fear without any hope of escape or release – _Well of course not, _Riko snapped at herself. _This woman killed her own daughter because she was a disgrace. And I was the one who disgraced her._

There was no doubt.

_Oh fuck. I'm going to die._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Hiei was getting irritated. He had spent the entire night with Jirou, scouting out the Ferai accommodations on the island with no results, and now the sun was rising into the sky, and he was sitting, waiting for Jirou to finish his research. It was infuriatingly slow, and even more infuriating, there were no more thoughts from Riko, meaning, for all he knew, she was already –<p>

Jirou glanced at his watch. "I believe the semifinals are starting. Are you sure you don't want to attend? Your team will be short two members –"

"I'm sure," Hiei snapped. "Do you have anything? Or should I wring your neck for wasting my time?"

Coolly, Jirou flipped his laptop. On the screen was a screenshot of a small demon, gray skinned, with features that suggested it was of the lower classes. "Every crime has its weak link. This is one of Ferai's workers, hired specifically for this island. If we interrogate him, we'll find something about your friend's whereabouts."

Automatically, Hiei replied, "She's not my friend," and then immediately after that, "Where is he?"

"According to the committee's video surveillance – which I've had my assistant hack for me – he's hanging out in one of the lower class bars, along the edge of the island." Jirou stood. "Shall we go?"

Without answering, Hiei got up and stalked to the door, disappearing out of it very quickly.

Jirou hesitated momentarily before following him. He had helped Hiei on a whim, a fancy. His father was probably wondering why the team that he had bet so much money on had been reduced to three members. He probably wouldn't be happy to know that Jirou had helped Hiei on his quest to find Riko instead of hustling him back to the arena.

_Still, even if I did tell him to go back, there's no possible way that he would,_ Jirou thought as he headed towards the door. _It's best that I help him find that girl as fast as possible and then they can both go back._

A small smile played across his passive face.

_Not to mention, the girl's pretty cute, and damsels in distress are usually pretty grateful to their rescuers._

But he could think about that when they found her.

End of Chapter 49

* * *

><p>One chapter to 50! xD (Should I do something special?)<p> 


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: **So good. Exactly one week. Okay, sooo, there's gonna be a hurricane around here apparently, so I might be out for a while. Maybe not if it's not as bad as they're making it. Also, I didn't do anything special, but :P It's an extra long chapter for you guys ~

**Upload Date:** 10/27/12

**Next Upload Date:** Again, next week sometime hopefully?

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 50

"Jirou?" Uehara Sr. irately tapped on the edge of his wine glass, creating a dull, thudding noise. "What? What are you –" He paused, listening to his son on the other side of the phone. "What? That's ridiculous. You aren't nearly skilled enough to -" Another pause. "Hiei? That fire demon. No, he's not reliable at all. I forbid you to do something so –" A soft beep echoed in Uehara Sr.'s ear, and his mouth tightened in irritation. Pulling the phone from his ear, Uehara snapped it shut and pocketed the thing.

"Jirou?" Came a voice from behind him.

Uehara glanced back sharply and then forced himself to relax and smile at one of his fiercest competitors – Valeina Ferai. "Ferai. I'm glad to see that you've decided to join me." He leaned his head forward and up to receive a polite kiss on the cheek from the dark-haired, dark-souled woman as she made her way to the seat next to his.

"Of course," Valeina replied, coolly. She adjusted herself in her seat and then beckoned at servant to bring her a glass of wine. "It is the semifinals after all." She glanced down at the arena as she took her drink. "Too bad the odds are stacked up so against you." Only three lone figures stood at the Urameshi side of the stadium. "Very confident, aren't you?"

Casually, Uehara took a sip of his wine and then responded, "As always, I have complete confidence in my team."

"Hm."

'_Hm'?_ Uehara wondered. He stared at his opponent out of the corners of his eyes for a moment and then adjusted his gaze forward. _She had something to do with this._ His grip tightened on his phone in his pocket, but he let it go quickly as Valeina began to speak again.

"So, Jirou – your son, isn't he? How's he doing?"

"Oh, useless," Uehara said casually.

"Really?" Valeina asked. A glint seemed to spark in her eyes. "So, he takes after his mom?"

For the smallest moment, Uehara's hand tightened around his glass, but immediately, he relaxed. "Exactly," He said, keeping his voice carefree. "You can't tell that there's a drop of demon blood in that boy." He shook his head. "I expected better. His mother was rather strong for a human."

Valeina laughed curtly. "As if there can be a strong human. They're all weak and pathetic." She raised her glass to her lips again, gazing out as Koto began the first fight.

An image flashed before Uehara's eyes – a woman with Jirou's brown-black hair and blue, blue eyes, the high cheekbones –

"When did she die again?" Valeina asked.

The image cracked.

Uehara lifted his wine to his mouth, eyes clouding over as he did so. "Years ago."

"Hm," Valeina said again in contemplative judgment. "Weak. I suppose that's why you're not letting your son inherit?"

"That's right," Uehara replied calmly. "I don't need all my work to be destroyed by a weak half-blood who doesn't even show his demon blood."

Valeina shook her head. "I feel for the son, to miss out on such an empire." She leaned back in her seat and glanced at the glass dome. "Still, I suppose it's for the best." Tilting her glass back, Valeina emptied it and then looked through the clear substance at the blue sky. "After all, any human who came into our business would just die."

Absently, Uehara rolled his phone over in his pocket as he looked out over the fight. "Yes," He murmured softly. "I know."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Jirou adjusted the volume on his phone to silent and slipped it into his back pocket. It had been years since he had defied his father, years since his father had trusted him with even the smallest task. No, he had never good enough – never. He always had to stand at the side and watch as his father got everything, every risk, gamble, bet, right.<p>

Gripping the door handle to the bar, Jirou pushed it open.

He would never admit it, but he really wanted to be the one to get it right – and what a perfect chance to do it. His father had placed an extraordinary amount of money on this team, two of whom were missing, greatly dealing a blow to that chance of victory, and he was going to be the one to save that.

There was very little room in the bar, and what little room there was, was rank with the scent of sweat, urine and alcohol, substances that could be seen around the place and sometimes over the customers. In the background, something dark and soft played, with deep rumbles that seem to rev up the people who had enough sense to still hear it, so that they called for more low-grade beer.

Jirou kept his face as impassive as he could make it as they walked into the dingy, rundown bar, but the smell was enough to make him gag a bit. This place certainly wasn't a normal place where he or any of his kind would hang out. He cast an eye out cautiously for the person they were looking for.

Hiei took a much more direct approach.

As they had walked in, a bell had rung, the only noise to announce their entrance, and that had been scarcely audible over the jeers and shouts for 'just another shot'. All noise came to an abrupt halt however, as Hiei drew his sword and planted it in the floor in front of him with a hiss that cut through the building. Eyes and heads turned to survey the newcomers.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" The bartender barked, stepping out from behind the counter. "Putting holes in my bar? I don't think so –"

"Shut up," Hiei snapped. He glared around the establishment once and then began to speak again, "Who is the worker for Valeina Ferai?"

Dead silence.

Very slyly, Jirou walked as far away from Hiei as the crowd allowed and then turned his head towards the clientele. Given that the demon they were looking for was actually there, he would probably be feeling quite uncomfortable right around then, which meant he'd be trying to beat a retreat out of a back exit –

His eyes landed on a gray-skinned demon edging backwards. Jirou compared him to the picture that he had seen on the laptop. "We have a match," He muttered under his breath. Quietly, Jirou walked back to Hiei and tapped the much shorter demon on the shoulder. "Hiei. Over there." He jerked his head over at the demon, who froze, turned to meet Jirou's eyes and then turned again and made a dash for the door.

He made it about three steps before the hilt of Hiei's sword hit him in the back of the head, and he crumbled. Without even blinking, Hiei scooped him over his shoulder and started back towards the door. A wide path opened to let him through. Jirou stepped out of the way to let him past and then followed him out of the bar, the door creaking shut behind them.

* * *

><p>The low-rung worker, otherwise known as Waka, opened his eyes to a blurry world. He blinked his gray eyelids once – twice – and everything began to clear up. Unfortunately, what he saw in front of him did not fill him with incredible joy.<p>

Hiei glared down at the demon, but it was Jirou who asked the first question. "Mr. Waka, you work for Valeina Ferai, correct?"

Half-frightened out of his wits and half-shocked, Waka closed his mouth tight, refusing to spill any information.

A sword appeared next to his throat.

"Talk, scum," Hiei spat.

Waka flinched, but instead of spitting out the answer, he snapped, "I'm not saying anything, and there's nothing you can do about it. I'm – I'm trained against torture -"

"Unlikely given how low your position is," Jirou observed, calmly.

"- And, and so there's no point in you guys even trying – GAH!" Waka yelled in pain as Hiei stabbed his sword into Waka's shoulder and then yanked it out again, blood pouring down the metal and Waka's arm.

"Still nothing?" Hiei asked. Waka stared fearly, but didn't reply. Hiei ground his teeth.

"Interesting," Jirou muttered, almost to himself. "Ferai must be a lot more terrifying than I first thought, or he would have started by now. We'll have to find some more convincing torture –"

Brusquely, Hiei snapped, "No need." He took a brief moment to flip his sword once and then wipe the blade on Waka's shirt and then sheathed it. "Human, if I were you, I would look away."

The words struck Jirou much harder than Hiei had intended them to. _'Human'._ That dreaded phrase included in all the bad news he had ever received. He was a full-fledged 'human', no inclination to show his demon blood. He had to attend an all-'human' school far away from his father. His mother, the 'human', was dead. He, the 'human' wasn't going to –

"I'll say it again. Look away."

Shocked out of the moment, Jirou turned his head to the side.

-Line

Hiei took another moment to glare at Jirou and then turned his attention back to Waka, who was bleeding sluggishly. Closing his eyes, Hiei summoned up his demon energy, which flickered around him briefly and then sank back into his skin. Very, very slowly, an outline began to appear on Hiei's forehead, glimmering softly white and then dark as it opened.

Just as slowly, Hiei opened his normal eyes. Waka's expression had crumbled to one of absolute fear, his eyes glued to Hiei's third one, as if mesmerized. They held those positions for several moments as Hiei stabilized his hold over Waka's mind, and then Hiei took a step back, his normal eyes glazing over as his third eye glowed bright and then dark as he searched for the information he needed.

There was quite a bit of useless information, and much of Waka's mind was clouded with fear, something Hiei dismissed quickly as he hurried from memory to memory until –

_There._

Satisfied, Hiei memorized the location and then sent a spark into Waka's mind to wipe the demon's memory of having ever met Hiei or Jirou. With one hand, Hiei drew out his sword and, just before he withdrew his energy, smacked Waka with the hilt.

The demon slumped, and Hiei sheathed his sword, turning to face Jirou, who was still looking away. "I have the information that's needed. You may go, human."

Jirou glanced over his shoulder at the fire demon. _Again. 'Human'._ It felt like something was biting at his soul, eating little parts away with every time that that word came up. "That's alright," Jirou replied, his voice revealing none of the turmoil inside. "I'd much rather accompany you. Who knows?" His tone twisted a bit, almost bitterly. "I might come in handy."

* * *

><p>Valeina Ferai's residence on the island was very hard to miss as its approximate area was almost twice the size of the hotel in which the contestants were staying in, and in that respect, Waka's information was not incredibly helpful. What was helpful was Waka's knowledge of a back entrance which would lead them beyond the parts of the home meant to fool guests and to the stronghold, where Valeina carried out business.<p>

It took Hiei only a moment to recall Waka's memories and enter the right combination into the lock. The wheels turned slowly – slowly – and the door swung open.

_Riko._

Hiei stepped through.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Tap, tap, tap –<em>

_I am going to drive myself insane._ Riko took a very deep breath, her finger pausing for a moment, and then –

_Tap, tap, tap –_

The headboard thudded softly with each contact, as Riko tried to rationalize the reaction going on inside her body. Yes, it was true that she was technically dying, but even if she did, freaking out wouldn't do anything about it, and at the rate that she was going, freaking out might actually drive her insane. She had to stay calm, stay calm, preserve her energy, and think of a way out. _A way out –_

_Tap, tap, tap_ –

Riko gritted her teeth in frustration. "What's going on?" She whispered softly to herself. "Why can't I calm down?"

It had always been a specialty of hers, being able to think rationally. What was going on here?

"Okay," Riko whispered. "What _is_ going on here?" Her fingers drummed incessantly against the headboard. "My heart is pounding, I can't think straight, everything's spinning. My energy is being eaten by this spell. I have no weapons, and I can't even use my energy –"

Her eyes widened. That was it. She was a healer, and a healer's energy was always active no matter what was going on. The first thing that a healer's energy did was to heal itself of any harm, which was why Riko healed much faster than most people even when she didn't use her powers on herself. However, healer powers didn't just act naturally on flesh wounds but also on other problems – illnesses, bodily malfunctions such as high heart rate or upset stomachs – anxiety. However, now that the demon curse was eating away at her power, the natural healing had been stopped, and all the normal symptoms of anxiety that wouldn't show up were showing up.

_Tap, tap, tap –_

_I can't stop this,_ Riko realized with growing horror. _I can't think, I can't breathe, I can't do anything –_ There was that horrible thought, bubbling up like tar.

_I'm dying._

Riko's breath began to come heavier and heavier. "No." She closed her eyes and drew herself in as tight as possible, burying her head in her arms and rocking forward and backwards. "No. No, no, no. This can't be happening. This can't be." Her breaths got shorter, and the walls seemingly began to close in, the demonic little sparks feasting faster on her energy. "No. No! I am Keun. I am a master treasure hunter. This can't be how I die. I can't die. No. No. I don't want to die."

Inwardly, Riko hated herself. It was disgusting. A small part of her wondered, _What am I, a super villain? _But it was out of her control now as her voice start rising higher and higher.

As she spoke, Riko began to uncurl, her eyes wild and bloodshot, her head jerking from side to side. "No! This can't be happening!" She shrieked. "No! Koenma – Botan - Yusuke – Kuwabara – Kurama – Hiei! Someone." She thrashed, sending her into direct contact with the veil.

Black sparks sprang into her skin, eating into her energy and causing her to scream in pain and collapse onto the bed. Her sight was starting to blur, though whether it was from death or from fear, she no longer knew.

"Someone," She whispered. "Please. Hiei –"

Deep down, in the rational part left inside, Riko knew that it was impossible to even hope. What were the chances that Hiei had heard anything she had sent out? What were the chances that a person like Valeina Ferai would leave any loopholes for anyone? She was in a closed-off room, in the middle of nowhere, slowly dying, and there was nothing to save her.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Drawing his sword, Hiei drew up behind the guard and – <em>slash –<em> The guard dropped in silence, cut in two.

Unfortunately, the guard that had been standing hidden in the shadows was not quite so silent. After the briefest rear-back in shock, the guard roared an alarm and then charged Hiei.

Hiei cut the creature down in a single stroke, but mentally cursed himself for allowing the alarm to be sounded at all.

Lights were beginning to flash on, and doors were beginning to slam shut behind them. "Damn," Hiei muttered. He grabbed Jirou's arm and began to sprint for the next set of doors. The doors were fast, but shutting them all down at the same time would have taken not only a large amount of money but might also have trapped the guards as well, which meant that Hiei had just enough time to drag Jirou through.

The last set of steel doors surrounded a pale cream, wooden door, oddly innocent for what Hiei felt behind it – a lot of demonic energy, much of which was blocking his senses, but something -

_Familiar._

Hiei slashed and burst through the door.

From the veiled bed, Riko's head jerked up, and something like tears sprang to her eyes as she took in the sight of the fire demon framed in the doorway. She reached out a hand, desperate, pathetic, "Hiei."

The final set of steel doors slammed shut behind them.

End of Chapter 50

* * *

><p>Yay! Hit the Chapter 50 mark! 3 Thank all of you guys for sticking with me for so long. I hope that you continue to.<p> 


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N: **Alright. Sorry, I dropped out. It's cause of Nanowrimo, but here's a mega chapter for you. It's gonna be a year in six days! I will have a chapter up by then. For now, I hope you enjoy this!

**Upload Date:** 12/8/12

**Next Upload Date:** Before December 14th. :P

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter -51

Valeina Ferai took a moment from watching Yusuke lash out at his opponent to glance down at her vibrating phone. The number was listed as one of her personal assistants, and the label was marked as 'Emergency'. The slightest crease wrinkled her forehead. She excused herself politely and walked up the stairs, out of the arena and into the entrance hall, which, at this point of the fight, was rather empty.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Ferai, intruders have breached the underground house. Two of them based on our reports." The voice on the other side was soft, a bit scared, but firm. "The cameras show us that they're in _her_ room."

Valeina's eyebrows snapped together in something that was halfway between concern and irritation. "Send all our people down. Hold them there. I will be down in ten minutes." She snapped the phone closed and started to walk away.

"What's the matter, Valeina?"

Pausing, Valeina turned and glared at Uehara Sr., who had quietly followed her down and was waiting at the entrance to the arena. His smile was in place again. "Aren't you going to stay for the rest of the fight? I thought we could take the time to catch up."

Forcing a cool smile in return, Valeina replied, "I'm sorry, but I'll have to pass this time. Some business has come up that I have to deal with."

"Really."

"Really," Valeina said, putting emphasis on the word. She looked at him hard, her mind working. Uehara had bet on the Urameshi Team, and of course, half of them being out of action would hurt his odds quite a bit… _Is it him?_ She wondered. _Is he the one sending intruders into my territory?_ It was a likely thing. Her mind flashed back to the phone call he had made earlier, the one with his son. Her lips curled in a smile, this one real and much crueler. Looking at Uehara directly, she said, "There are some intruders on my estate. I have to go take care of them."

Uehara's voice was completely controlled as he asked, "Really? What do you plan on doing with them?"

The smile grew. "What I always do. As you should know. I'll kill them." She stared into Uehara's eyes for a moment longer and then turned and walked away again, her heels creating an echoing sound through the empty hall.

Uehara Sr. watched her go and gritted his teeth. In his right hand was his cellphone which he squeezed hard in anger and worry.

_What to do…_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Oh shit.<em> Jirou thought. He turned and looked at the firmly shut door as Hiei approached the bed. Iron now separated between them and escape, and if Valeina's security was anything like his father's, guards would soon surround the room, making it impossible to escape. "Hiei…" He said softly. He slipped over to the wall and felt around for some kind of switch.

Hiei wasn't listening. He had stepped closer to Riko, his eyes nearly glowing in the dark.

_Ah._ Jirou reached out and flicked on the light. Ten chandeliers, nine of them surrounding the final tenth, flicked on, turning the room from a pitch black space to one that was almost completely filled with light. Even Jirou and Hiei, who had been in light just a while ago, flinched a bit at the sudden intensity.

Riko, who had been in the dark for over a day now, had a much stronger reaction. The dark had never really bothered her in the past, but then, she had never been awake and unable to do anything in the complete dark for so long before. When the light hit her, Riko's eyes watered, and pain pierced her brain, breaking through the panic and desperation and restoring some sense back to her thoughts. She blinked and blinked again, trying to clear her sight, but it took a minute before her eyes adjusted, and she could see again.

By that time, Hiei was right next to the bed, reaching out a hand to sweep by the covers.

Riko's eyes widened. "No! Hiei, don't!"

Hiei stopped and glared at her.

Riko gave him a mocking glare back. "The curtains are enchanted," She explained quickly. "If you touch them, they might start to suck out your energy, too." She held up her hand, so that Hiei could see the black sparks dancing around her more clearly. "That's what being done to me."

"Fine. I'll cut them down." Hiei lifted his sword.

This time, it was Jirou who stopped him. "Wait a minute." He crept closer to the curtain and examined it, and then straightened and shook his head. "That is quite a spell. You can't use your sword. You have to shut down the power source of the spell before you'll be able to touch it without having it affect you."

"And who's the source?" Hiei asked, his voice ripe with impatience.

"That would be me."

Hiei whirled.

Standing just a few meters behind him was Valeina. How she had entered the room was a complete mystery given that the iron door was still there and in one piece, and there were no other holes in the wall whatsoever. Nor was there a spot on Valeina.

She gave Jirou a nod as she stepped forward, closer to her targets. "Jirou. It's a pleasure to see you again."

Politely, Jirou nodded back. "Mrs. Valeina Ferai."

Valeina now switched her gaze to Hiei. "You're a demon. Correct?"

Hiei just glared, but that alone was answer enough for Valeina.

"Very good. Now, demon, I understand that you have broken through all my security in the attempt to rescue that… _human._" She shook her head and continued, "Before I continue, I would like to remind you that you are a demon. I'm sure that you know that humans are disgusting, vile creatures, and being defeated by a human is one of the most disgraceful things that can happen to a demon, and it's within a demon's blood to avenge the defeat. Since you are one of my kind, I would like to give you the opportunity to think where your true loyalties should lie – to that human or to our people."

Silence ensued.

Jirou waited for Hiei to attack Valeina, but when the act didn't occur, he looked at the fire demon.

His head was lowered, his eyes shaded, and his expression completely unreadable. Doubt began to creep into Jirou's mind. Was Hiei actually considering…?

"Hn." Hiei lowered his sword from his guard position and straightened. A smile, very cold, decorated his face now as he looked up at Valeina. "I agree with you. Humans are disgusting, vile creatures."

"Oh, gee, thanks," Riko muttered.

"But loyalty is for the weak," Hiei continued. He raised his left arm, which was holding the sword and turned the blade so that the sharp end faced Valeina. "And I never side with the weak." He bent his knees just slightly and then shot at Valeina.

Letting out a sigh, Valeina shook her head. "That's too bad," She remarked as Hiei appeared in front of her and swung.

The sword sliced through the air, actually creating an audible noise with the speed – and went right through Valeina, who glowed white-silver, her body going transparent as the katana slashed at her. Hiei's eyes widened as he crashed through Valeina and landed behind her. He whirled instantly, sword up.

The demoness solidified, turned around and glared haughtily at Hiei. "And now," She said, silver energy gathering itself around her, "We'll see who's weak."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Yusuke punched the demon Makintaro, who flew across the stadium and crashed into the far wall, creating a series of cracks before falling face first onto the floor.<p>

"And with the final blow," Koto cried, "It seems as if Yusuke has finished the battle and the entire match!" She ran over to Makintaro's prone body and began to count as Yusuke stuck his hands in his pockets and stalked back to where the two people on his team who were actually at the fight were standing.

Neither of them looked particularly affected by the task that they had just completed. On the other side, near where Koto was counting, were four bodies: the rest of the team that they had just beaten. It was a stunning victory, achieved in less than an hour's time, with each match hardly lasting ten minutes and not a single casualty, though there were plenty of bruises and cuts on the opponent's side.

That was not to say that the team, Team Uraotogi, hadn't presented quite a challenge. Even pumped up on adrenaline and worry for Riko, Kurama had still gained a cut across his shirt, with blood coloring the lines, and Kuwabara now had a black eye, but neither they, nor Yusuke, whose cheek was swollen, seemed to notice the wounds. They couldn't afford to notice. After all, their healer was missing.

"Ten!" Koto shouted. She threw her hands up. "And with that, the Urameshi Team advances to the finals!"

"Good job," Kurama said to Yusuke. He gave Yusuke a pat on the back and then, the three walked towards the exit.

"Wait, guys!"

The team halted and looked around. It was Kuwabara who spotted the blue-haired girl running down the stands towards them, waving wildly. She was receiving glares from the rich patrons she was passing, but instead of responding, she continued to run until she was standing at the lowest level of the seats, right next to the glass wall. She tapped on it, and a picture appeared. There was a moment, and then the glass opened, and stairs appeared, extending down to the boys. She beckoned them up.

"Come on," Botan said. "Let's go."

They walked up the stairs at a much more reasonable pace than the one that Botan had taken to get to them. The glass closed smoothly behind them. As they passed, the spectators to the fight whispered to themselves, their words distasteful and cruel.

Kuwabara moved a bit uncomfortably closer to Botan and asked, "Aren't rich people supposed to be polite?"

"You would think that," Botan replied, "But a surprisingly number of them lack that quality." She climbed the last few steps and held the door open for the team.

"But of course," Kurama said quietly as they walked through the door into a private room, where Ogre and Koenma were sitting on the far end, in front of a glass wall that surveyed the stadium. He looked around and remarked, "After all, when you own the world, what's there to be polite about?"

"Little fuckers," was Yusuke's contribution.

Koenma frowned at Yusuke. "Is such language necessary?"

Yusuke's only reply was a glare.

With a sigh, Koenma shook his head and glanced down at the field. "They're preparing the finals to be in an hour's time." He looked at his team. "Rest until then. Be ready."

Kuwabara let out a breath, started to move towards the wall, paused and then spun around. His eyes widened, and his face broke in a smile. "Yukina!"

Yukina stood at the door, Keiko and Shizuru behind her. She smiled at Kuwabara and went to him. "Kazuma. How are you?" She reached up and touched his eye gently. "That must hurt."

Puffing up his chest, Kuwabara shook his head. "Not at all. I'm fine!"

Shaking her head, Yukina looked around at Kurama and Yusuke, stepping towards them. "All of you, hurt…" She reached towards Yusuke, a pale blue spark appearing on the tips of her finger. "Here, let me –"

"No!" Yusuke snapped. Instinctively, he slapped Yukina's hand away.

The ice demoness stepped back, eyes wide in shock.

"Ooo," Shizuru murmured under her breath as she played with a cigarette. "Yusuke-boy's getting a bit feisty."

"Yusuke!" Keiko cried, stepping forward. "What was that for?! She was just trying to help you!"

"I don't want to be healed," Yusuke snapped.

Quietly, Kurama spoke up, "None of us do." He looked at Kuwabara, who nodded. Kurama looked at Keiko and Yukina. "It's fine, really. The wounds are not serious. They will not hurt our fighting ability."

Keiko stared at him, bewildered for a moment, before realization lit her face. An image appeared before her eyes: a short girl with gray-purple hair, pale skin and purple sparks dancing around her slim body. _They don't want to be healed by anyone but her,_ Keiko realized. _Because if they were… it would be like admitting that she was dead._ She looked at Koenma and Botan, her eyes serious. "Have you heard anything from Hiei?"

Koenma shook his head. "There's been no news. I have no doubt that Hiei will return though." The words were directed at Yusuke. "He may be a troublemaker, but he is quite reliable. He'll come back with her."

"I wouldn't count on that."

The room whirled to stare at the newcomer, who met each of their eyes for just a moment before stepping in and closing the door tight behind him. He leaned against it and took a sip from the glass of wine he was holding. He smiled coolly around. "So, how's my team doing?"

Kurama straightened. "Uehara," He said. In the background, Botan grabbed Keiko and Shizuru and pulled them closer to Yukina. "We're fine. What did you mean by that?"

"What?" Uehara asked. He stepped further into the room, walking over to the glass window and looking down. "Oh, you mean my first statement?" He turned, leaned against the table and looked around the room. "You don't realize who you're dealing with, do you?"

"Why don't you tell us?" Koenma asked calmly.

Taking another sip, Uehara paused for a moment and then spoke again, "Do you know who Valeina Ferai is?"

Koenma's eyes widened. Behind him, he could hear Botan's gasp, and the Ogre's grunt of surprise. _Yuuna._ Keeping his own face perfectly still, he replied, "I know of her."

"Well, she's the one who has your precious little healer. I'm not quite sure why yet, but she's taken quite an interest in her."

"But… Koenma," Botan whispered. "Yuuna –"

Her boss made a shushing movement, but it was too late. Uehara had already heard. He looked at Botan. "Yuuna? Yuuna?" Botan bit her lip guiltily and looked away. Uehara shook his head and then laughed. "You don't realize, do you? Yuuna is Valeina Ferai's daughter."

Stunned silence followed the revelation, broken only by Uehara's chuckle as he spoke, half to himself, "Is that it then? Is this revenge for her daughter getting killed? Is that what your girl did? I should have suspected as much. Valeina is overly obsessed with her family's reputation." He tilted his head back and finished the glass, before placing it down with a clink on the table. "Ah, well, if that's the case, then it's over."

"What?" Yusuke asked, voice deadly fierce. Blue fire danced around him. "What did you say?"

Calmly, Uehara replied, "I said that it's over. Valeina doesn't let people damage her reputation. Anyone who tries is destroyed in the most agonizing way possible." He looked straight at Yusuke as he said the next words, "So there's no point in even bothering to rescue her anymore. No one escapes the Ferai estate. Even the compound that she has on this island is probably full to the tip of every trap ever invented. Any demon in this place could tell you where it is, what with the aura it gives off."

Yusuke ground his teeth.

"Hiei is quite strong, as is Riko. How are you so certain that they're going to die?" Kurama asked, putting a calming hand on Yusuke shoulder as he stepped forward.

"Valeina went herself," Uehara explained. "You see, Valeina isn't your normal business leader. She doesn't just leave the grunt work to people she hires. Oh no, she kills most of her victims herself."

"So she's another demon," Kuwabara said, confidently, almost as if trying to assure himself. "The squirt can crush him."

Uehara shook his head. "Not quite," He replied. "Valeina's a master with her demon energy. With it, she can manipulate solid objects and make them… not." He smiled at the confused looks. "I'm sure that you have heard of 'ghosts' before. When you try to touch a ghost, what happens?" He pushed a hand forward. "You go through them. That is power that Valeina has. She can make herself and objects around her ghostlike. It's impossible to hit her, and eventually, you'll either drop dead out of exhaustion, or she'll manage to hit you with a blow, and then you'll really be dead."

"Hiei's… the squirt… he's stronger than that," Kuwabara said, but his voice shook now.

"Really?" Uehara asked. "Do you think so?"

"How do you know this?" Kurama demanded.

There was a change in Uehara's face, his expression becoming cool, almost cold. "My… son called me and informed me of… the situation. I believe that one of your teammates was with him. And very soon after that, Valeina left the fight to attend a 'matter'." Quiet passed for a moment, before Uehara waved a hand. "It is of no matter. Your job after all is to win the fights." He smiled. "Forget about those two. They are already dead."

_CRASH –_

Everyone in the room flinched as Yusuke punched the ground. Dust and stone fragments flew about the room. Kuwabara instinctively hugged Yukina to prevent her from getting hit, while Kurama raised an arm. "Yusuke…"

His eyes hooded, Yusuke straightened. "I don't know what you're trying to pull here," He growled. "And I don't care." He stalked over to Uehara and grabbed his collar, pulling him closer. "But if you're somehow fucking involved in this, I will –"

At first, Keiko had been shocked, like the rest of the room, but after a moment, she couldn't help but smile a bit. After all, it was the Yusuke she was used to – loud, violent, unable to control his temper. She stepped up quietly and laid a hand on Yusuke's shoulder. To Uehara, she said, her voice firm, "Thank you for the information, Mr. Uehara. You don't have to worry. Yusuke will win." She paused and then added, "And Riko's going to be fine as well." She smiled at Uehara's surprised face and then looked at Yusuke, who was looking at her as well. "Isn't that right, Yusuke?"

Yusuke stared at her for a moment and then made a face. He shoved Uehara away from him and turned away, folding his arms. "Alright," He snapped. "I'm gonna stay here, and I'm gonna win that damn match, but not for you, got it? I'm gonna do it cause I believe in Hiei. He's not gonna die. He's gonna make it back with Riko, and we're gonna laugh it up your fucking ass."

Keiko grinned and looked at him fondly.

"Yeah. That's how we're going to do it."

End of Chapter 51

* * *

><p>I hope you enjoyed it. :)<p> 


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N: **Whoops. I lied. Again. My bad. I shall try harder (but we all know how well that works.)

But wow! It's been a year! Thank you so much for reading and (hopefully) enjoying what I dish out. This is so much fun, and I hope that you will keep reading. **bows** Again, thanks so much.

**Upload Date:** 12/16/12

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 52

"Something wrong, Kurama?"

Kurama turned to look at his boss and shook his head. "Not really. I was just wondering about something."

Koenma waited for a moment and then pressed on, "And…?"

"Why do you think Mr. Uehara stopped in specifically to tell us not to go after Riko?" Kurama asked. "He'd already known that Hiei was on the job, and that we hadn't followed him, so that should be hint enough that we weren't planning on going."

"You believe he had an ulterior motive?" Koenma asked.

After a moment, Kurama nodded. "He came in saying that he didn't want us to go, and he seemed to be talking almost straight to Yusuke for most of it. It's easy to tell that Yusuke's the type of person that wants to do something the more you tell him not to, especially in a circumstance where his friends could get hurt." Uehara's words ran through his head, as clear as if the business man was saying them still. "He told us that anyone on this island could tell us where Ferai's compound was. He wanted us to go."

"And the motive?" Koenma prodded.

Kurama paused, as the final bit of information trickled in. "And he mentioned his son… I imagine a fatherly instinct isn't very natural for a man like Uehara, but it must exist. He's afraid that his son will die along with Hiei and Riko."

"Well, that's not gonna happen," came a confident voice from across the room.

Together, Koenma and Kurama turned to look for the source.

It was, of course, Kuwabara, who was sitting very still as his sister applied some ointment to the black area around his eye. Though none of the three had wanted to be healed by Yukina's energy, the three had reluctantly agreed that it was probably better to have their wounds treated at least a bit. Kurama's wound had been cleaned, and ointment had been applied to Kuwabara and Yusuke's faces.

"Cause, Riko's gonna live, and that shorty's gonna live, and that guy's son is gonna live. They're all going to be alright."

Kurama blinked at Kuwabara for a moment and then smiled slowly.

"Yes," He agreed. "They're all going to be alright."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>...Oh dear, she can actually do something.<em> Riko leaned back in the bed. Her mind had been cleared by the rays of light that were now tinkling around the room, and though she could still fear in the back of her mind, it was now at a much more controllable level. Still, the black sparks gnawed at her spirit energy, and Riko could feel herself growing weaker. Just a bit longer, and she would probably not be able to maintain consciousness, and if continued for even an hour more…

_Let's not think about that._ Riko diverted her attention back to Valeina and Hiei who were now facing off again. Jirou had edged as much to the side as he could, standing near the end of the bed, as close as he could without touching it. He looked at Riko and gave her a partial smile.

"Hey, how are you holding up?"

Quietly, Riko replied, "Not great. Do you think you can get me out?" She eyed Valeina warily in case she turned around, but the woman seemed preoccupied with Hiei.

Regretfully, Jirou shook his head. "I have no strength when it comes to dealing with demon or spirit energy, and my own is much too weak to do any damage." Despite his words, he stepped back further and started to examine the lace-like curtains that separated him and Riko. "You said if I touch this, I'll be cursed with whatever's afflicting you?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Interesting. Have you tried using something else to push the curtains open?"

Riko nodded. "The sparks just travel down whatever I use and then to me." She watched as Jirou knelt next to the bed and began looking at it closer. Her attention shifted as Valeina's voice interrupted the process.

"Jirou. I would advise you to stop that."

Jirou jerked up and back, alarmed by the sudden intervention.

Without turning her head from Hiei, Valeina continued, "There is no point in trying to break the spell. Someone with your skill level would never manage it, and even if you did, the amount of power you have would extend the process to hours, and by that time, she'll be dead. Wait patiently for me, and don't hurt yourself. I plan on delivering your body to your father in one –"

"La. Lalalalala." Riko looked at Valeina and shrugged. "Sorry. I was going to interrupt with something more eloquent, but I couldn't think of anything."

"Have you gotten over your fear?" was Valeina's calm reply. "From what I saw earlier, you had quite a breakdown."

…_Oh well, that's embarrassing._ "Yeah, I'm good now," Riko snapped.

"Then you can die bravely."

"Sure, and I'll come back haunt you until you go insane."

"Enough."

The word was accompanied by a swing from Hiei's sword. The sparks around Valeina intensified, and her body went transparent again as the sword cut through the air where she had been. She solidified again as Hiei drew back for another attack and then ghosted out again as he launched the second blow.

"Oh, Hiei, I expected better from you," Valeina said. "I've heard so many stories, and I was hoping to see some new strategies at the very least."

"Yeah, Hiei," Riko chimed in. "Don't you wanna be able to use your right arm again?"

"…You really don't care about dying, do you?" Jirou asked, halfway between amused and terrified.

Very casually, Riko flapped her hand at him, ignoring the black sparks dancing over her body. It might have been his imagination, but Jirou could have sworn that they were flowing in thicker form than they had been when he and Hiei had first arrived. "Of course I care," Riko replied. "I just –" She paused.

Hiei turned his head at an angle so that he could glare at Riko with his right eye. Riko smiled innocently. Hiei's glare intensified for a moment, and then he faced Valeina again and straightened. He raised his left arm again, his katana glimmering in the light of the chandelier. There was something odd about his stance this time though. It was unusually lax, his right arm at his side, the sword cutting a strange angle across his shoulder.

As Hiei raised his sword, Valeina prepared to ghost herself – and then paused and raised her eyebrows in surprise as Hiei tossed the sword to the side. It hit the wall, where it stuck very neatly in the wall, the blade still shining darkly.

"…Are you giving up?" Valeina asked. "Have you decided to join me after all? The option is always open, I hope you know."

Riko sat bolt upright. _Oh dear. That would not be good. _"Hiei? You wouldn't let me die here." She paused and then thought about her words. _Yes, he would. Oh fuck. I'm screwed._ A little louder, she called again, "Hiei? I understand that you're angry, perhaps, actually I have no clue how you feel, but I'm guessing you're mad, but let's remember that I can heal your arm, and I'm adorable and charming, and as much as I wouldn't mind turning into a ghost and haunting that witch over there, I would much rather stay alive –"

She fell silent as there was a flash, Hiei disappeared, and Valeina slammed into the iron that was separating them and freedom. Hiei reappeared where Valeina had been standing, in a combat stand, his left fist in the air.

"Whoa…" Riko murmured. She clapped enthusiastically until Hiei turned to glare at her, and then, she smiled sweetly. "Way to be cool, Hiei."

Jirou edged out from behind the bed and peered at Valeina. "Is she out?"

"She is not," came a voice from Valeina. She was struggling up, her clothes now ruffled, her mouth a tight line of distaste. As she reached a standing position, she fixed her eyes on Hiei. "What was that?"

Coolly, Hiei replied. "It was a punch."

In her most perky tones, Riko interjected, "I think she meant, how did you do that, Hiei, and for reference, I would really like to know as well."

Hiei gave her a dirty look, similar to the ones that he normally gave Yusuke and Kuwabara. "It's simple. Your captor uses her demon energy to make herself insubstantial, so she can't be hurt by blows. However, she only activates that power right before her opponent attacks, and therefore, if she can't see the attack coming," Hiei smiled, an expression split between cold and vicious. "She can't do anything."

After a moment's thought, Riko asked, "Couldn't she just keep it on all the time?"

"Yes, Hiei," Valeina said through gritted teeth. "Couldn't I do that?"

"Though," Riko continued, as if she hadn't heard Valeina, "If she could do that, she probably would have done so from the beginning, so that means that she's not using it for a reason… uh…" She looked Valeina up and down and then shrugged. "It takes too much power."

Without answering, Valeina glared.

"Oh." Riko pointed, her face mockingly childish. "I think that's a confirmation. Yay, Hiei. Though, I still don't get why you threw your sword away." When Hiei didn't answer, Riko sighed and looked at Jirou. "Jirou, any ideas?"

"Swords take longer to swing than a punch," Jirou suggested. His tone still had some touch of fear in it, but it was now veering very much more towards amused. "I mean, just the fact that Mrs. Ferai was able to activate her trick before Hiei's swing was quite impressive, given Hiei's speed. Without the extra weight and length, I'd imagine that Hiei became even faster – too fast for Ferai to keep up."

Black sparks crackled around Valeina. "Watch your mouth, Jirou," She snapped. Her voice was slowly degrading itself into a dark, throaty growl. "I can inflict plenty of pain to you before you die."

Riko's eyes widened in surprise as she felt something on her skin. She looked down at her arms. The black sparks that had been coating her had lessened now. She frowned and watched as one spark ran down her body, snaked across the bed onto the floor, past Hiei and crawled up Valeina, joining the multitude of energy running around her skin. _Ah._ Riko grinned and piped up, "So what are you going to do, Mrs. Ferai? You can either use up all your power because you can't predict when Hiei will hit, or you can get hit…" She paused for effect and then continued, "Or you could let us go."

The sparks crackled around Valeina. "Unlikely," She growled coldly. She looked at Hiei and opened her mouth –

_BAM._

Once again, she hit the far wall, but this time, Hiei didn't wait. He sprinted after her, and as she hit, launched another attack with his left fist. He got in two more blows before Valeina had enough time to switch on her power. On the third blow, his hand went through her and hit the wall, creating a gong-like noise. Undeterred, Hiei continued pummeling the air, waiting for the moment that Valeina's power would run out and the shield failed.

Riko was waiting for that moment as well, watching as the sparks ran off her body. She could feel the weight lifting off her shoulders as they left, and though none of the power that had already been eaten was being returned to her, she could feel what remained of her power solidifying. It was running through her body now, repairing the bruises that she had gotten from her little breakdown earlier.

_31… 32… 33…_ Jirou split half his mind between counting the seconds since Valeina had activated her ghost-mode and calculating how much longer he thought she could endure. Phasing oneself into nothingness for any period of time was difficult, and the longer the time, the more intense the process. It wouldn't be too long now.

The last sparks left Riko's system and raced back to their master.

A grin spread itself across Riko's face, and, uncrossing her legs, she leaned forward and swept the curtain back.

Jirou stared at her as she clambered out. "…Um…"

"Mrs. Ferai seems to be using all her power on defending against Hiei right now, so, whatever she had on me is now gone." Riko grinned and then leaned back, cracking her back, before straightening and stretching from side to side. "Ah. The taste of almost freedom." She rolled her neck back and forth for a moment before looking back at Hiei.

Valeina was beginning to flicker, her face contorted in pain for the moments when she appeared, and finally, she came back completely. Hiei landed ten sharp blows and then stopped and pulled back. Valeina slid to the ground, hovering somewhere between unconscious pain and death.

"Yay," Riko cheered. "Whoa." She stepped back as Hiei spun around, walked to the side wall, grabbed his sword and then stepped up to her. "Hi, Hiei."

He was glaring, not an unusual action for Hiei, but there was something behind this glare, something that seemed almost hopeful. Riko blinked innocently at him. Both waited for the other to make a move, and finally, Hiei broke.

"Can you do it?"

Shrugging, Riko nodded. "I think so."

"You 'think'?" There was a dangerous growl in the words.

"…I'm fairly certain," Riko replied with another shrug. She glanced at Jirou and then at Valeina. "But shouldn't we get out of here first?" She walked past Hiei and tapped lightly on the steel wall. "You think you can break this?"

Jirou followed her and examined the wall himself. "I don't think that'd be possible with just force." He leaned in closer. "Though you might be able to blast it apart with energy." He looked back at Hiei. "Can you do it?"

Hiei didn't answer for a moment, and Riko raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, hesitation." She looked at the wall and then at Hiei's arm. "Is it…that?" She nodded at the appendage.

After a very long silence, Hiei grudgingly nodded. He held up his right hand, his eyebrows coming together at the pain and then attempted to summon a spark. There was a countering from the burnt section of his arm, and the sparks faded.

"Hm." Riko nodded. "Okay. I'll have to do it now then." She checked the reserve of energy she had left – not much. She looked over at Jirou. "Hey, Jirou, can you transfer energy by any chance? Like, could you give me whatever power you have? It doesn't have to be a lot."

Surprised, Jirou opened his mouth and then closed it without saying anything. He shook his head and then nodded. "Uh, yeah, I can do that."

Riko nodded. "Okay then." She looked back at Hiei. "Just a note. I'm fairly low on power, so I'm going to dip into whatever Jirou has to offer and my life supply, so after I do this, I'll be on a high for about… two to five minutes, and then I'll faint. Okay? So, it's your job – one of you, I don't care which – to carry me out of here in one piece." She paused. "And if I don't live, I _will_ come back and haunt you."

There was a silent agreement, and then Riko sat down, beckoning Hiei to sit next to her. He did so, reluctantly and gave Riko his right arm. Sparks danced across it. "Okay, Jirou, prepare to transfer power," Riko murmured. Jirou knelt next to her. "I'll tell you when. Hiei, give me your sword."

Hiei glowered at her. "What? Why?"

Riko tilted her head up just slightly, so that the light caught in her purple eyes.

"I'm going to cut off your arm."

End of Chapter 52

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading.<p> 


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N: **Yay! Early update (mostly cause you guys wanted it so much :P See, that's how you motivate me. Leave me lots of love, and I will reciprocate ~)! I really hope that you guys like this and my reasoning and rationale behind it all. :P

ALSO, I have a big favor to ask. One of my friends is in a competition so it would mean a lot to me if you would go to Youtube, sign in, search "Just Dance 4 Dance Off - Week 3: Juddy" and **LIKE IT**!

(If you need some incentive, after you like it, PM me, and you can request anything (to do with fanfiction anyways), and I'll do my best to fulfill your request!)

Lots of love guys!

**Upload Date:** 12/20/12

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 53

Something like a rock dropped itself in Hiei's mind, and he instinctively pulled his arm back. It shivered painfully just from the small motion. "Excuse me?"

Her eyes glowing, Riko explained, "The damage is confined to just the right arm, so the best way to get rid of the damage… is to remove it."

Hiei stared at her. "I want to be able use my arm."

Undeterred, Riko replied, "I know." She paused, checked her reserve of power again. It seemed even lower than it had been just a minute ago. She turned her concentration back to Hiei's face. His eyes seemed darker than normal. She wondered how much she'd have to say to convince him. _Well, I might as well start._

"Okay, it's like this. The kind of damage that you sustained to your arm isn't something that can just be healed or removed. I don't think that any conventional way of healing can return the use of your arm back to you." She stopped, allowed Hiei to take the words in and then continued. "What I can do however is to cut off your arm, get rid of the damage that way, and then… regrow the arm."

Behind the two of them, Jirou's eyes widened in surprise. Regeneration was not a common healing technique. It was risky. After all, if the regeneration failed, the person being healed would be completely missing one part of themselves, and besides that, it took deep concentration and knowledge of the body. One had to knit together not only skin and muscle, but also bone, tendons, fat and – worst of all – _nerves_.

"And," Riko added after several moments of quiet, "I can even regrow it with a spark of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame's power. It'll be small enough that it can't hurt you, but it'll let you become one with the dragon and control it." She blinked into Hiei's deep crimson eyes and then, tenuously, stretched a small hand out to him.

For a minute that seemed to stretch into forever, Hiei stared into her eyes. There was a sense of power behind them that he wasn't used to seeing from the human. After all, she was such a weak fighter… and yet here, in the moment… it was like he could see purple light around her like a halo, and in her eyes, the eyes of all those that she had healed before – most recently Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke.

_I would never trust her in a fight,_ Hiei thought. _But –_

He laid his arm back into her hand, ignoring the tingle that ran down it, half-pain, half-relief as their skin touched. With his left hand, he ran his fingers along the hilt of his katana and then offered it to Riko.

Carefully, Riko laid Hiei's right arm in her lap and took the sword with both hands, ignoring the weight. She glanced behind her at Jirou and raised an eyebrow. The half-demon held out a hand and send a thin thread of power into Riko's body, making the girl shiver violently and then steady. She nodded and then looked back at Hiei.

The katana's blade caught the light as Riko slowly raised it into the air. In the reflection, it was possible to discern Riko's eyes, glowing with pure lavender fire.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Yusuke crumpled the can of juice and tossed the aluminum ball towards the trash can. It hit the rim, bounced and then tumbled onto the ground. Scowling, Yusuke got up, picked the ball up, walked back to his seat and this time, taking more careful aim, shot the ball neatly into the container.<p>

"Yusuke. Stop playing around," Koenma ordered. "Come listen. I need to give you a briefing on the next team."

Reluctantly, Yusuke joined Koenma, where he stood with Kurama and Kuwabara. Kurama was reading a file report over Koenma's shoulder, while Kuwabara smiled, with a silly expression, at Yukina who beamed back. Half an hour had passed since they'd entered the room. In another half an hour, they would start the final match.

"Well? What is it?" Yusuke demanded.

After giving his detective an irritated look, Koenma gestured towards the file. Inside were what looked to be profiles. "Team Rokuyukai," Koenma explained. "They are the final team. Five members, just like you, but I believe that only three will pose any kind of real threat." He pulled out three sheets of paper. "This is Chu, the team leader. From what we've seen of his fights, he is a very strong hand-to-hand combatant. This is Rinku. He uses manipulation on outside objects to fight, specifically those yo-yos he's carrying. And this is Zeru. He appears to be a fire demon."

"Fire?" Kurama murmured.

"Fire," Koenma confirmed.

"Like Hiei," Kuwabara said quietly, his attention suddenly on the file.

Again, Koenma confirmed, "Like Hiei."

There was a brief silence as thoughts drifted to the missing two, but with a shake of the head, Koenma brought his team's attention back to his sheets. "I believe the best way for us to go about this would be a simple three out of five situation. I don't want to put too much pressure on you guys by pushing another five fights. If we're lucky, they might get confident and put up one of their weaker fighters. If not… well, I expect the three of you to win." He looked at them serious. "You must not lose. The Rokuyukai's team also has some very strong sponsors. If one of you loses, even if the other two win, they might declare it your loss because there is no one to fight a deciding match."

"One of us could fight again," Kuwabara pointed out.

Koenma shook his head. "It's unlikely that they would allow that. Remember. They don't fight fair. If one of you loses… it'll be their victory."

"Of course," Kurama commented dryly. He took a last look at the files and raised an eyebrow. "Interesting." He looked at Kuwabara and Yusuke. "They're sponsored by Ferai."

Kuwabara and Yusuke looked at each other and then grinned.

"Finally," Yusuke said, cracking his knuckles. "We can get some revenge."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>When the katana met Hiei's skin, Jirou closed his eyes, expecting a splattering of blood and some negative reaction from Hiei. Neither prediction occurred. When he opened his eyes, Jirou stared at the scene before him. Hiei was sitting, face completely impassive, while Riko tossed aside the sword and after a moment, put down the now severed arm, cut at the elbow. Not a single drop of blood had been spilled – Riko was holding it in place with her spirit energy.<p>

Letting out a slight breath, Riko murmured, "Bear with the pain. I don't have enough power to lessen it for you." And with that brief sentence, she began her work.

Purple sparks spilled out of her, covering the stump of Hiei's right arm, each spark taking up for a strand of muscle, a weave of skin, a sliver of bone. There was a brief image of an arm traced in light where Hiei's arm should have been, and then, Riko started to build on the image.

It was a very slow process. The bone was the first to grow, first drawn in violet and then followed by an outpouring of ivory that started thin, but gradually grew thicker and strong until the likeness of an arm bone began to appear. It was joined by another, the two held apart by pale sparks for the moment. More space appeared and then smaller bones – the wrist, tiny round pieces that fitted evenly together.

A drop of sweat rolled down Riko's forehead.

Now the wrist began to solidify, and Riko moved her attention onto the hand, long bones for the palm followed by several shorter ones to make up the fingers. As she traced over the image created by her magic, Riko noted absently, _He has nice fingers._ The last ivory drop solidified, and leaning back for a moment, Riko surveyed her work.

Hiei's arm looked like a museum exhibit. It was cut off at the elbow, but the rest of the arm was written in light, fitted so perfectly that it almost looked real, and in the center of that light, bone, solid, shimmering slightly.

_Lovely,_ Riko thought, very self-satisfied.

She returned her attention to the arm, focusing next on ligaments, connecting the bones to each other until the spaces between them were filled. Without stopping, she moved right on to her next task – muscles.

It was slightly harder than the bones, which had been rather straightforward. With the muscle, more technique was involved – were the muscles shorter or longer (which would affect the speed), and where in particular were they built up. The task took quite a bit out of Riko, and by the end of the process, sweat was dripping into her eyes.

To deal with the problem, she blinked once very hard, feeling the sweat roll down her face and then opened them rapidly and stared back at the limb she was dealing with.

Time passed quickly as Riko worked, and eventually, Jirou, who had been quite tense at the beginning of the process, relaxed himself into a more comfortable position. He checked his phone several times as ten minutes passed, twenty, and rounding on forty minutes as Riko finished with the muscles.

Next came tendons, connecting muscle to bone to allow movement, veins and arteries. She shifted the arm, testing the looseness, nodded to herself, and then began on the fat and skin. Both were fairly simple. Hiei didn't have all that much fat, and while skin was important, it wasn't necessary that she got ever blemish right. That wouldn't affect the functionality.

Finally, Riko reached the nerves. She took a slight step back, examining her work. From any eye's view, the arm was now perfectly attached, flowing so seamlessly from the shoulder down that it would be impossible to see where she had cut it. She took a breath, allowing herself just a moment of rest and then bore down on the problem.

Nerves were delicate. They were picky. Once they were cut, they didn't like to be reattached like all the rest – no, they had to be special.

Starting at the finger tips, Riko began to build the network of nerves, sewing gently. Her power darted under the newly formed skin, causing it to light up very, very faintly, a light that was almost invisible to anyone who wasn't expecting it. She breathed out and began to move down the hand, taking the wrist into account and then further, instilling touch and control.

As she went along, Riko made sure that the nerves remembered the feel of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame, embedding it into their memory so that the next time, Hiei would be able to call on the dragon without being hurt. It was something that would have been impossible if Hiei hadn't already been hurt, but now that he was, she could use the injury to his advantage.

When she had reached the end, Riko took a group of bright purple sparks and placed one on each original nerve and then another group on the new nerves and slowly, she nudged her energy closer together until they touched, and the nerves connected. There was a bright glow, and then the sparks sank into the particles, dissipating into Hiei's arm.

Riko let out a sigh and sat back, hard.

Jirou let out a low noise, almost like a whistle. "Wow," He murmured. "That was impressive." He checked his phone, which told him blithely that almost an hour and a half had passed since the start of the process.

Tilting her head back, Riko smiled at him. "I know." Sparks danced around her face like demented little imps. She tilted her head to look at Hiei. "Okay," She said, breathless. "That's it." Her eyes blazed purple, crackling light that seemed almost feverish and gave her an insane feel. "Try it," She urged. Her voice cracked and hissed as she spoke, but Riko didn't seem to notice.

A bit hesitantly, almost as if he was afraid Hiei moved his arm. It flowed naturally, moving with no issue. He flexed the fingers and then, almost trembling picked up his sword and slashed the air before him, coming very close to Riko's face.

Without flinching, Riko watched as Hiei tested out his new arm. Her breathing was coming more shallowly, and she could feel herself starting to slide between states of consciousness. She waited patiently, however, for Hiei to look back at her before announcing, "You have about…" She made a face, estimating, "Twenty minutes, give or take a few, to get me to some other healer, and after that, I'm fairly certain I'm going to die from exhaustion, so please try not to waste any time getting revenge on anyone." She glanced at Valeina's prone body. "You can do that later."

She paused and then added, "Oh, and I do expect you to get me out alive. If you don't do it cause you didn't try hard enough, I will come back and haunt you. If you don't do it cause you can't…" Riko shook her head. "I'll be extremely disappointed."

Her eyes seemed to burn even more brightly with purple sparks in the seconds that she met Hiei's, red versus lavender in a crackling display, before they closed, and she fell heavily to the side. Before she could hit the ground, Hiei had caught her. With unusual care, he slung the girl over one shoulder. He looked at Jirou. "Are you ready, human?"

Blinking in mild surprise, Jirou nodded, scrambling to his feet.

Hiei held Riko tightly with his left hand and lifted his newly formed right. Fire flickered up from the palm, mostly red and blue-white flames, but with a hint of the black ones that had hurt him in the first place. He smiled, an expression that was torn between cruelty and satisfaction, and turned, directing the fire towards the steel wall that separated them from the rest of the house.

_Twenty minutes._

__End of Chapter 53

* * *

><p>Happy almost end of the world, everyone! (Also, be sure to search "Just Dance 4 Dance Off - Week 3: Juddy" on Youtube and <strong>LIKE IT<strong>!)


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N:** Hope you guys are having a great holiday!

**Upload Date:** 12/27/12

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 54

When Valeina finally came back into consciousness, it was to the annoying buzz of her cell phone. She instinctively reached for it. Based on the number of messages on the screen, someone had been calling her for quite some time, over a time period of almost two hours. She flipped the phone open and held it to her ear. "What?" Her voice cracked as it came out, and she scowled, a movement that sent lightning cracking through her skull.

There was a pause on the other side, as if the person who was calling was confused, and then, "Mrs. Ferai. We have some news."

Valeina attempted to push herself into a sitting position, failed and laid back down with a grimace. "Talk."

"Your team, Team Rokuyukai, is currently facing Team Urameshi in the finals. As before, they have only presented three of their members for the match, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Urameshi." There was a pause. "Two fights have just occurred, Kuwabara's and Kurama's. Yusuke is currently fighting. Kurama won his fight, but Kuwabara lost. They are fighting on a best three out of five. Would you like us to push for them to not allow for someone who's already fought to fight again?"

An aching headache was starting to split Valeina's mind, but she answered despite the pain, "Yes. Definitely."

"Uehara is already pushing to allow them to fight again. I predict that the resources needed to overcome him will be phenomenal. To what extent may we push?"

"Use everything."

There was a pause. "Everything?"

"Yes. Don't make me repeat myself. Everything is on the table. Get me that rule change. And then, as soon as that fight is over, I want you to kill them all. Finish it fast. They'll be getting reinforcements soon. The girl got loose, and Hiei is coming back as well." She paused. "Along with Uehara Junior…" She smiled. "Capture him. Use him as a pawn. I'm sure that his father cares more than he says."

She snapped the phone shut and let it slide to the ground. Briefly, she closed her eyes.

_You are not free, yet, Riko Isshi. _

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Koenma dropped his phone down and cursed. Botan looked up, startled. She was the only one of the girls who had stayed behind when the fight had started. The other three had returned to their seats, with a very scared Ogre as their bodyguard.<p>

"What's wrong?" Botan asked, worriedly, crossing the room to get to her boss' side. "Did something happen? Did the committee decide?"

Grimly, Koenma turned his head to look at her. "Yes. They're not allowed to fight again, so since Kuwabara lost…"

"They're going to lose." Botan put a hand to her mouth. "But… how? I thought that Uehara would never let us lose."

"That was him just now on the phone. He tried, but… Ferai pooled in all her resources. Uehara told me that if he pushed any further, he'd lose more money than he could hope to gain out of this."

"So… is that it?" Botan asked. "Is… that… is the fight over?"

Koenma shook his head, mouth tight. "They're not cancelling it in the middle of a fight, because the crowd would riot, but as soon as this fight ends, they're… they're going to announce the winner. As soon as Kurama finishes this, it's over." He ground his teeth, staring down at the mediocre fighter Kurama was going against. When Kuwabara had suffered his loss, the other team had very tactically stuck up one of their weak fighters, so they could weaken the opponent. Under normal circumstances, Kurama could beat someone like him in less than five minutes. "Botan, go down. Tell Kurama to stall."

"Stall?" Botan asked. Her eyes lit. "Ah. You mean, in case Hiei makes it back?"

Koenma nodded. "I have great trust in him, and it's the only hope that we have. If Hiei can make it back, and then Kurama wins, then Hiei can win the final fight, and we can still come through." He glared down at the field. "We cannot let the Sarkar Brooch fall into any hands but ours." He looked at Botan. "Go, now."

With a nod, Botan turned and darted towards the door, reaching it in just a few seconds and then sprinted down the stairs in a blur of clothes and bright blue hair. There were distasteful whispers as she flew past, but she ignored them all, knocking on the glass and opening the door that separated the arena from the spectators. She darted down the stairs and ran towards the stadium.

Yusuke was watching the fight, with Kuwabara next to him, sitting and nursing his wounds. They both turned and looked at the panting girl.

"What's up?" Yusuke asked. "You here to yell at the moron here for losing to a kid?"

Kuwabara glared at his teammate. "Hey, shut up. That was cheating, what he did."

"Not the time," Botan panted. She ran up to the stage. "Kurama!"

The redhead glanced back and then jumped back as his opponent launched a feeble attack. He hopped back a few more meters to the edge of the stage. "What is it, Botan? Has the decision come through?"

"Yes – what?" Botan blinked, confused. "How do you know about it?"

Turning back to face his opponent, Kurama smiled. "I'm me, Botan. Koenma wants me to stall, right?"

"Yes," Botan said, still slightly in awe. _Although I really shouldn't be surprised. It is Kurama after all._

Kurama nodded. "I can do that. However, there is a certain limit to this. If I go too long, the crowd will get irritated, and I believe that Ferai's representatives will push further to end the match immediately. I'd give it… an hour, tops."

Botan nodded, her face worried. "We'll just have to hope Hiei's back by then."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Hiei kicked forward and then spun, launching a flame backwards to take out the enemy sneaking up behind Jirou. The fire nearly burned, Jirou who dodged left and flinched, muttering under his breath. As he smashed another demon guard in the face, Hiei snapped at Jirou, "How much time?"<p>

"What?" Jirou asked, still recovering from his near-burn experience.

"How much time has passed?"

"Uh…" Jirou looked down at his cellphone, trying to ignore the black fire and enemy lines running around him. "It's been ten minutes, so if what Riko said was right, then, we have about ten more to get her somewhere."

Hiei's mouth tightened. It took nearly ten minutes just for them to get from the main island to Valeina's complex, and with the goons around them… His eyes flicked to Jirou. He might be able to make it himself, but with deadweight along, it would be extremely hard. _Better to ditch him._ But that would mean that he could be used as a hostage, and given that he was a powerful demon's son, Koenma might _care_ about the young man. He had to get them all out of danger.

_Filthy, useless humans –_ Hiei stopped halfway through the thought and glanced down at the girl draped over his shoulder.

He gritted his teeth. What to do...

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>The crowd was getting restless, a sentiment best reflected by Koto's announcements, which were coming with more and more frequency and ferocity.<p>

"And once again, Kurama dodges out of the way! When will this fight start going somewhere? We want some blood!"

On a directly related note, Kurama was getting more and more irritated. The demon he was facing was weak, probably just some recruit to flesh out the team, and it was getting hard to ignore his taunts and not put a rose whip through his skull. _Or maybe through that announcer's head. At this point, I'm not very picky…_ Kurama smiled at the thought, but quickly dismissed it. His job was to stall, not kill. Not yet anyways.

"What's the matter?"

He was distracted as his opponent began speaking again. Quite unfortunately, it seemed like he was the kind of demon who had the habit of taunting their enemies – never a smart move, and especially not so when your opponent was capable of killing you in one smooth move – not that he knew that. Not yet anyways.

"You scared?" The demon shook his head mockingly. "You know I've heard a lot about your team. Didn't know that it would just be full of a bunch of half-assed humans and scared as hell demons. What? You can't even bring yourself to attack me?" He leapt forward, claws bared. "If you can't fight, then at least be honorable and die a warrior's death!"

Kurama's eyebrow twitched. _'A warrior's death.'_ He hopped lightly out of the way. Aloud, he said, "Slightly impossible given that the opponent I'm facing isn't a warrior."

A deep growl exploded from the other demon's throat. "What?!" He leapt forward again, clawing the air like a demented cat. "Filthy traitor!"

Mildly annoyed, Kurama sighed and shook his head. "Always the traitor card."

On the sidelines, Yusuke snorted. "Kurama sure gets mouthy when he can't slice and dice."

Glancing at his teammate, Kurama raised an eyebrow and then smiled. He hopped lightly back, ignoring Koto's scathing words about his pride and courage as a demon. It was not pride and courage that had gotten him so far as a thief, and it certainly wouldn't be those things that would get him through his current situation. Or the rest of his team, for that matter.

_Safety first,_ Kurama thought, with just a touch of mischievous malice. _Always._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Koenma ground his teeth and tried not to contemplate that death and doom that would come if another demon managed to get their hands on the Sakar Brooch. There was only one reason option if that happened. He'd have to have the brooch stolen. <em>Which is not a viable option given that the only members of my staff who were actually thieves will be dead.<em>

The teeth grounding took an abrupt halt as a ringing sound began. Koenma looked around, confused for a moment and then recognized the sound as his worry settled.

He snatched up the phone and looked at the caller ID. It was unknown. _Either a threat or…_ "Hello? Hiei? Is that you?"

"Hi, and no, it's not. I'm sorry. This is Jirou. Jirou Uehara. I'm the son of the man who's sponsoring your team."

_Jirou…_ Koenma's eyes widened. "Jirou! I heard you were with Hiei. Where is he? Have you found Riko?" He breathed deeply. "Is she dead?"

"No." Jirou's voice was partially breathless, deep breaths between sentences. "No. She's not. Not when I last saw anyways. She's not in a good state though."

"When you last –" Koenma's heart nearly skipped a beat. "What do you mean? Have you and Hiei been separated? What has happened?!"

"I'm not completely sure on the details myself. You'll have to ask Riko, but what I know… Hiei and I found her in Valeina Ferai's compound. We rescued her, and she healed a wound of Hiei's. It took a lot out of her. Hiei's bringing her back now. She needs medical care as soon as she arrives, or she's going to die."

Nodding, Koenma glanced down at the stands, first noting Botan's position and then Yukina's. Both would probably be vital. "Where are you?"

"Hiei didn't have time to deal with me as well as bring Riko back in time." A note of amusement entered into the human's voice. "He commandeered one of the demons to bring me to one of Ferai's vehicles. I'm riding it back right now. I believe that Hiei chose to run."

Again, Koenma nodded, something in him untightening slowly. "Alright. I shall see you guys soon then. Thank you." He put the phone down and put his head into his arms, releasing an emotion that he hadn't felt in quite some time.

He had been telling himself that sacrifices were needed in this line or work, but it always hurt to lose an operative, and it was some of the best news of the century that he didn't have to go through something like that again.

_No time to weep._ Koenma stood up and walked out of the door, heading towards where Yukina was sitting.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"This is not going well," Kurama muttered to Botan as he stood at the edge. "I'm not going to be able to put this off for much longer."<p>

Botan bit her lip. "Kurama… anything you can do to stall."

Kurama faced his opponent again, irritated splitting his face. There was one way, but he didn't like it at all.

He'd have to get hurt. The sight of blood should calm the bloodthirsty in the crowd, but resorting to such measures was infinitely annoying. First off, losing blood would be dangerous if he had to fight again later – very likely, given the way things was going. And secondly, getting hurt would make the other demon feel superior and make him even more annoying than he already was.

_If that's possible._

Steadying himself, Kurama stared at the demon, reading his movements for a moment and then, pretending to dodge, he launched himself into the claws. Blood spouted from Kurama's arm, raining onto the stage in a kaleidoscope of gasps from the audience, satisfaction from Koto, and a very pleased look from his opponent. Kurama stumbled back, pretending to be very hurt.

"Couldn't keep going, could you?" The demon taunted. "In the end, this is what a real demon can do."

…_I was wrong. It is possible. _Kurama tensed his knees.

Before he could jump either into or out of the range of another attack, an explosion distracted the entire crowd. Kurama whirled, facing one of the entrances to the arena. It was covered in smoke, rendering everything almost invisible, but black flames licking at the edge of things gave away the identity of the newcomers.

A slow smile spread itself across Kurama's face, and he straightened. To the smoke cloud, he called, "Took your time, didn't you?

Kuwabara and Yusuke, both of whom had jumped and nearly hit each other at the explosion, stared between the smoke and Kurama. "Kurama, what…?" Yusuke started to ask.

Ignoring them, Kurama continued talking, "Based on what you can do, I assume you have her. Yusuke, get ready."

"Ready?" Yusuke spluttered. "For wh –AH!" Yusuke stumbled back as Riko's limp body hit him in the chest. He scrambled for a moment and then caught the girl. "What? Riko."

"Riko!" Kuwabara said, eyes lighting. "Hey, she's unconscious."

"She needs a healer," came another surprise voice.

Kuwabara looked up. Koenma was walking down the stairs from the spectator stands, Yukina behind him.

"Yukina!" Kuwabara cried, brightly. "Hi!"

Yukina smiled at him briefly and then hurried to Riko's side, pale blue sparks flying up.

"Riko…" Yusuke said slowly as he lowered Riko to the ground. He looked up at the smoke, which was slowly starting to clear. "That means…"

The demon that Kurama had been fighting was getting irritated by all the attention that was not directed towards him and his recent wounding of his opponent. He decided to remedy the situation by launching another attack, roaring as he did so, "Look away from me, will you?!"

_SLASH –_

An abrupt silence fell over the entire stadium as the demon fell to the ground in two pieces, cut neatly in half by Kurama's rose whip. Kurama allowed himself a smile of satisfaction at ending the annoying voice and then tossed the whip up, catching it as it fell as a rose and placing it neatly back into his hair. He hopped off the edge of the platform and high-fived the short, katana-wielding individual walking out of the smoke.

"Your turn. Let's see what you learned, Hiei."

As he stepped out into the open, Hiei smiled, black fire in the form of a dragon dancing around his figure.

End of Chapter 54

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed! Almost New Year's. I'm looking forward to it.<p> 


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N:** Happy New Year, guys! Massive chapter for you guys uploaded at midnight (where I am anyways). Busy/exam season is coming up, but I'll try really hard to keep going consistently for you guys. Lots of love!

**Upload Date:** 1/1/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 55

It felt like she was floating in a very deep pool. The surroundings were comfortable, but there was a large pressure on her head, almost as if she was about to explode. Snippets of words and sentences appeared in her mind, like tiny drops of water.

"- been a while –"

"- Almost two weeks –"

"- won't die, will she?"

"- don't know –"

The world spun like a whirlwind, seemingly tossing her from side to side. It felt like every bone in her body was cracking all at the same time. Pale, blue sparks that looked cold to the touch, but felt warm and comforting danced before her eyes, swirling around her body, repairing damage that feeble purple sparks tried to fix, but couldn't touch.

"- Brooch secure –"

"- dropped by. Uehara Sr. –"

"- can only wait now. There's –"

Something cold touched her skin. It was wet, against her forehead, a shock, but something soothing at the same time.

* * *

><p>Riko opened her eyes.<p>

Above her was a white ceiling embedded with fluorescent lights, dimmed to create an evening-like feel.

_Okay… it doesn't look like I'm dead._ She carefully pushed herself to a sitting position. _Though with Koenma, it's always hard to tell._ Something fell from her forehead. Riko looked down and then picked up a wet towel that had previously been on her forehead. _…Interesting. So old school._ She looked around the room, shifting her position and then paused.

At the edge of the head, her head on the blankets, was Yukina. She was asleep, her breathing deep and heavy.

_Hm…_ Riko blinked at the girl and then smiled. _Stayed with me. Good healer._ Carefully, Riko lifted the blankets enough to let herself out and then dragged the blanket out from under Yukina. She placed the blanket over Yukina and then padded, bare-footed, over to the door.

Quietly, she turned the knob and pushed the door open. Riko poked her head outside and looked around. There was no one around, and the lights, like the ones inside, were dimmed to almost darkness._ Same place as last time._ And _Must be night,_ Riko thought as she closed the door and walked back in.

She sighed and leaned against the door, looking up at the lights. What should she do? The best thing would probably be to rest, but she wasn't tired in the slightest. She could literally feel her spirit energy bubbling inside her. It had been completely restored, and any damage that might have been done to her system had now been undone. She was perfectly fine.

And unfortunately, very antsy.

Still as quietly as she could, Riko crept to her bedside table. There were flowers and a cup of tea that smelled like Earl Gray. _Kurama, probably. What a classy, little demon._ She grinned, ran her fingers through the flowers and then turned away from them, heading instead towards the window.

It was locked.

Riko stared at the lock for a moment, then rolled her eyes, and quietly unlocked it, pushing the window open to allow tendrils of cold, night air into the room. She breathed for a moment and then secured the window at an open position and looked out.

"Well," Riko murmured to herself as she looked out at the empty streets. "Apparently, Spirit World does sleep."

She sighed and lowered her head onto her arms, giving up on the hope of finding entertainment. She would just stand here for a few minutes, and then she would go back to bed and try to sleep some more…

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Riko?!"<p>

Startled, Riko jerked awake and looked around, confused.

"Riko, what are you doing on the floor? Why aren't you in bed?"

Hands grabbed her and gently helped her to a standing position. Riko turned her head to stare at the newcomer and then smiled. "Oh. Hi. Botan. What's up."

"'What's up'?" Botan asked, somewhere between amused, exasperated and worried. "Riko, you should be resting!"

Lazily, Riko waved her off and walked back over to her bed, crawling in. As she did, she noted that Yukina was awake, and Koenma was also in the room, in toddler form, looking over everything with a decided judging quality. "I feel fine," She said in reply to Botan's words. "Hi, Yukina. Thank you for healing me – I assumed it was you." Yukina nodded. "Oh good. And hey, Koenma. What's up." She pulled the covers over her and looked at her company. "So, where is everyone? How did everything turn out?"

Koenma held up a hand. "Please hold for a minute." He looked at the blue-haired demoness. "Will you check her?"

Rolling her eyes, Riko held out her arm to Yukina. "I'm fine, Koenma. I think I should know. I am a healer, after all."

"True," Koenma admitted, "But according to Jirou, that spell you were under was pretty severe."

Riko blinked and leaned forward. "Jirou. Is he okay? Somebody tell me what happened."

"Wait," Koenma commanded. He looked at Yukina. "How is she?"

"Fine," Riko said dryly.

Yukina smiled. "She is fine," She affirmed. "Her spirit energy levels are normal, her heart rate is a little high, but nothing to worry about. Her temperature has returned to 98.6, and all flesh injuries are now completely healed." She looked at Riko and smiled. "It's a full recovery."

"Thanks," Riko said, smiling back. She looked back at Koenma. "So. Tell me what happened. Did we get the Sakar Brooch?"

Glaring, Koenma folded his arms. "That is classified information."

"Which," Riko concluded, "Means we did. _Awesome._" She grinned, blinking innocently at her boss. "Oh come on, Koenma, don't you trust me?" She waggled her eyebrows and then shook her head. "I won't do anything. For now." She smirked. "Anyways. How was the fighting? The guys had to have fought at least the finals without both me and Hiei right? Are they okay?"

"They did alright," Botan said. "The semifinals and finals were held back to back, and what do you know, Ferai's team is fighting ours in the finals."

"Of course," Riko said, with no change in expression.

Smiling slightly, Botan continued, "Her people pressed to only allow each member to fight once, and unfortunately, even though Yusuke won the first fight, Kuwabara lost the second, so it would have been a default win for them. But luckily, Kurama managed to delay long enough that Hiei got there. He took on Zeru of Ferai's team and beat him pretty soundly."

_Hm…_ "Did he use the Dragon of the Darkness Flame?" Riko asked.

Botan nodded. "Yes, he did."

"Good. So it worked."

Koenma looked sharply at Riko. "What worked?"

Riko grinned. "His arm. My favorite part. Okay." She looked at Yukina and Botan in turn. "You guys know what a living wound is, right?"

Yukina nodded, and Botan explained to the others, "It's a wound that no matter how much you heal it, regenerates itself. It's almost impossible to get rid of."

"Unless the wound is confined to an area – say, an arm – and you cut that area off."

Koenma's eyebrows shut up. "Excuse me? The last time I saw Hiei's arm, it was most definitely still attached to his body."

Still grinning, Riko leaned forward and whispered, "I regrew it." She waggled her eyebrows at Yukina and Botan. "I cut off his arm, and then regrew it. It went perfectly. I even managed to add a bit of Dragon Flame into the new tissue, like a vaccine. Now Hiei has near perfect control of the dragon and a brand new arm." She leaned back complacently. "How awesome am I?"

There was no answer to the question, though Koenma glared at his employee.

Finally, Riko rolled her eyes. "Fine. Let's get back to the main topic. Um… next question. How's Jirou? And Ferai? I'm not sure, but I'm fairly certain that when we left, she was still alive."

Grimly, Koenma nodded. "She is still alive. We have her in prison right now, and she's about to be moved to the Twisted Prison."

"Oh really," Riko said. "Great. Brings up wonderful memories." She shook her head. "That's pretty fast though. I would have thought that your bureaucratic little state would have taken at least a couple weeks."

Koenma and Botan exchanged looks. "Riko," Botan said. "You've out for almost three weeks now."

Very, very slowly, Riko's eyes widened. "…Excuse me? Three weeks? Wow. Wow, that is… wow. I think that might be a personal record." She shook her head, taking a deep breath and then letting it out slowly. "Okay. Um… and Jirou?"

"It's a much happier story for Jirou," Botan said, with a smile. "He and his father made up. His father now trusts him, and he is the heir to the Uehara fortune."

"Hm… that must be a lot of money…" Riko muttered.

Botan laughed. "What, are you interested in him?"

Riko smiled. "Hey. Rich guys always have their appeal. Just think of how much treasure I could get with all that money."

"Don't joke, Riko," Koenma snapped. "Now, I want a debriefing from you. What happened in there?"

Nodding, Riko folded her blankets back absently and then began. "So, I walked into the break room after my fight. I was planning on meditating – yes, I still meditate, Koenma." Koenma raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "But anyways, I was tranquilized. I have no clue how, and I woke up in a steel box. Yuuna came to me, told me what she was planning – which was to kill me, in case you didn't already figure that out – and so I decided to try to call for help in the hopes that Hiei would hear me." She paused and looked around. "Which reminds me. Do you know where he is?

"Uh… no. We haven't been able to get in contact with him since we returned," Botan said.

"Of course not," Riko muttered. "Anyways, I presume that Hiei did hear something, but I don't really know, cause Yuuna electrocuted me, and I fainted. Next thing I know, I'm in another room – a bedroom – on a bed surrounded by black lace curtains. Valeina Ferai came in, told me she was Yuuna's mother and told me that it was important to her pride or something like that to kill me." Riko shrugged. "She didn't think that Yuuna was going about it fast enough, so she killed Yuuna and cast a spell on me to suck away my spirit energy. It was contained in the curtains so I couldn't get out, but luckily, Hiei showed up, kicked ass, and rescued me."

Koenma nodded slowly. "Very well. That's all for now. Get some more, Riko, and then you can return home for a while. Botan, let's go. We have work to do."

With a sigh, Botan stood up. "Alright, Koenma, but I'm not doing the paperwork." She smiled down at Riko. "I'll come visit later." She leaned in for a brief hug. "It's nice to see you awake again."

"Nice to be awake," Riko replied. She waved as the two left and then glanced at Yukina. "What about you? Do you need to go?"

Yukina hesitated.

"I'm fine, you know," Riko said. "I know my body really well. I'm fine." She tilted her head to get a better look at Yukina's face and then smiled, making the expression as gentle as she could. "But… I know how you're feeling. Healers always like to check up on their patients. I know. It's kinda killing me that Hiei isn't here right now. But really, if you're… if you wanna leave, if you have to leave, you can." She waited for a moment. "Or is it something else?"

"It's not just that I want to keep an eye on you," Yukina admitted. "I… I'm trying to find my brother, and I'm not sure where to look next." She shook her head sadly. "I don't know where to go."

Surprised, Riko leaned forward, propping her elbows on the bed and her head on her fists. "Brother? You have a brother, Yukina?"

Nodding, Yukina explained, "We were separated at birth. My clan – the Koorime – we live all our lives separate from males. But my mother… she didn't obey the rule. She conceived my brother and I. I was kept, but my brother… he was thrown out."

Riko's eyes widened. "Oh… I… I'm sorry," She said, unusually awkward. "Uh… um… do you have any clues as to where he might be?" She asked, trying to ignore the thought that the most likely scenario would be that Yukina's brother was dead.

Shaking her head, Yukina reached under her kimono and pulled out a necklace – a perfect sphere on a thin thread. "All I know is that he has a necklace similar to this one. We Koorime – our tears crystalize, and when we give birth, we produce a crystal unlike any other." She looked at it sadly. "He has the other one. If I can find it, I can find him." She sighed. "I just… I don't know what to do anymore. I've looked all over, but… he just doesn't seem to be around."

Riko shook her head, completely unsure of what to say, how to comfort the ice demoness before her.

Before she could think of something, Yukina spoke again. "And yet… there are times when I feel his presence, but even then, I can never find him."

Silence fell.

…_Oh dear. What the hell have I gotten myself into. _Riko bit her lip, trying desperately to think of something. _Oh come on. I've broken into dozens of safes, but I can't think of a comforting sentence?!_ Mentally, Riko grimaced, but outwardly, she smiled, genuine if a bit awkward. "Listen, Yukina… I'm… I'm not good at this reassuring people thing, but…" Riko sighed. "I think that it's going to be fine. Whether you find him or not. If you do, then that's great. But even if you, you'll know that you've tried, and I'm sure that he would be grateful for that." She paused again and then shook her head. "And listen. I'm… pretty good at finding things. I mean, my past resume is pretty limited to treasure, but… I'll try. To find him, I mean. Your brother?"

It was slow, but gradually, a smile spread across Yukina's face. "Thank you," She murmured. "Thank you very much. I know it's going to be fine. I'm surrounded by such wonderful, kind people."

Riko smiled back – still with a touch of awkwardness.

Yukina sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye. It solidified, and Yukina caught it carefully. She stood up. "Thank you. Again. I feel better. I'm going to keep looking." She looked down at the tear and then offered it to Riko. "For you. As thanks for cheering me up."

Touched in spite of herself, Riko took the gem. "Thank you."

With one more smile, Yukina walked towards the door, opened it softly and then left. The door shut behind her without a single sound.

Riko let out a deep breath and looked down at the crystal in her hand. It was bright and pure. She'd heard of the Koorime's tears before. They were extremely valuable on the black market. Just one could buy a livelihood. _A Koorime… looking for her brother. That is not going to end well._

Leaning back, Riko closed her eyes and sighed again. _No time to get depressed._ Opening her eyes again, Riko slipped out of her bed and crossed over to the window again.

This time, there were many people outside, bustling from building to building as they each attempted to complete their tasks. Riko watched them pass for a moment and then started to get up and head back towards her bed. She paused and then frowned. Riko returned to the window and leaned out, squinting.

Several hundred meters from her room, there was a very large tree. It looked out of place among the almost urban feel of the rest of the environment, and what looked even more out of place was the person sitting on a branch of the tree, arms folded, katana by his side.

Very slowly, Riko grinned. "Hiei," She called softly. The figure didn't stir. "Hiei," She called again, a little louder. "I want to check out your arm. You know. Just so it doesn't rot off."

The figure in the tree disappeared. Riko blinked, surprised. She hadn't actually expected her call to work. _Huh, interesting._

The door to the room slammed open, and Riko turned to see Hiei's katana in her face. She put her hands up, trying not to smile.

"Hi," She whispered. "How are you, Hiei?"

"What were you saying? About my arm?" Hiei asked, voice dangerously low.

Still smiling, Riko smiled. "I was kidding. I just wanted to check it out. Lemme see it." She held out her hand, and when Hiei didn't respond, she shrugged. "Okay, if you're gonna be like that… I wasn't completely kidding. It's always important to check up on a healing, especially one that was so complicated. Lemme see your arm, Hiei."

There was a very long hesitation period, but finally, Hiei extended his right arm. Riko pocketed Yukina's tear, took the arm and folded up the sleeve. She ran her fingers along the skin and sent several purple sparks tracing into Hiei's skin, checking the connections. Carefully, she twisted Hiei's arm from side to side and then bent each finger, measuring the movements.

Finally, she let go and smiled. "It's beautiful." She looked into Hiei's eyes and grinned. "Your arm is a work of art."

She expected a scowl, but instead, Hiei was staring at her pocket. "What was that?" He asked, voice very, very soft.

Surprised by the tone, Riko reached into the pocket and showed Hiei the gem. "It's a tear. A Koorime's tear. They solidify into gems."

"I know," Hiei snapped. "Where did you get it?"

"Uh…" Riko said, still confused. "Um… Yukina gave it to me. She… she was upset, because she's trying to find her brother, and she doesn't know where else to look, and she was kinda crying – not really, and I cheered her up and promised that I would help her find him, so she decided to give that to me." Riko stared at Hiei. "What's the matter?"

Hiei's eyes flicked upwards and met hers. His expression twisted, changed. "Nothing," He snapped. "If I were you, I would take back that promise. She's not going to find her brother."

"…What?" Riko asked. "How do you know that?" She tilted her head to the side. "Do you know her brother?" Her eyes widened. "Is he dead? If he's dead, you should tell her." Hiei didn't respond. "If you won't, I will." Hiei still didn't answer. Riko stared at him, completely confused by this change in character. "You… did you kill him? Is that why you act so weirdly around Yukina? I noticed when I first saw you guys, but I assumed you'd just had a relationship."

A shiver went through Hiei, and he shook his head violently as if trying to clear a disturbing thought from it. "Don't be ridiculous," He snapped, turning to leave.

Riko watched as he headed towards the door. _Okay… so if it's not a relationship… then he has something to do with her brother. Either he killed her brother, knows her brother…_ Riko frowned. _Or… maybe… is her brother. _She grimaced. _Well. Only one way to find out. Let's test the waters._

"Are you her brother?"

Instantly, Hiei was in front of her again, his katana in her face, the tip literally half a centimeter from her nose. Riko closed her eyes instinctively.

_Okay… I think I got it. That's the one. _And then, _Oh good, she really wasn't his lover._

With her eyes still closed, Riko commented dryly, "Didn't know you had any siblings. Very cute. Why don't you tell her? She's… pretty sad about not being able to find you."

"She's better off not knowing," was the stoic answer. "And if you tell her -"

"I'll be sashimi in less time than a lightning strike, I'm sure. And shouldn't you leave it up to her to decide?"

"She's too innocent to decide. And she should stay that way. Her brother is a ruthless killer and thief. She's happier not knowing."

Eyes still closed, Riko whistled softly. "Ruthless, huh? You think a lot of yourself. And I don't know. You're on the good side now."

"Because I'm being punished," Hiei retorted.

Shrugging, Riko replied, "I started out that way, too." She paused, thought about it and then shrugged again. "Kinda anyways. I changed. You can."

"Even if I do, that doesn't erase my past crimes."

"Nothing erases the past," Riko said matter-of-factly. "But you know, that really doesn't matter. Only the present and the future matter. And right now, you are making her future and present very miserable by deciding for her."

"She'll forget eventually."

Cautiously, Riko let her eyes flutter open. "I would, if I were her. But you know, Yukina isn't anything like me. She's a very, very nice girl. And loyal. Exceptionally loyal. She's sweet, and she believes. She trusts. She told me, someone that she barely knows, about her brother. Can you imagine who else she's told? Who else has fallen for that precious, little face and promised to help her? Every single one of those promises gives her a little more hope. She's not going to let go. Not until she finds you. And when she does, you will be the same person that you are right now. Except it's going to be years later. Years that neither of you are going to get back."

They stared at each other for a long moment, but finally, Hiei withdrew his sword. "I've had enough of you talk. This is my decision. If you tell her, I will slice your throat."

Rolling her head back, Riko winced as it cracked and then repositioned herself. "Will you really?" She asked, half-mockingly. "After all, I did give you back your right arm. Is that how you repay someone?" She let the words hang for a moment and then shrugged. "Don't worry. I have no intention of telling her. It's… your business. But if I were you, I'd tell her. And if I were her…" She shrugged again and then met Hiei's eyes once more. "I'd be glad to have a brother like you."

The pause that followed was even longer than the one that had come before.

Hiei broke it. "Just keep your mouth shut," He snapped. He turned and walked away, clearing the door and slamming it shut.

As soon as the noise stopped echoing, Riko allowed herself to drop to the floor. She covered her face, breathing deeply and then lowered her hands to look at Yukina's tear. "Well," She murmured to herself. "That was more than a bit terrifying." She let out a sigh, replaced the tear in her pocket and stood up.

Once standing, she paused and touched the backs of her hands to her cheeks. They were burning. _Huh. I don't normally burn up from fear._ Hiei's face flashed before her eyes, as it had been just before he had left, angry and disturbed. She frowned. Another flash – Hiei's face right before she had fainted in Valeina' compound. _What –_ Another – Hiei breaking into the room where she'd been hidden.

_What…_

Almost her first thought upon finding out that Hiei and Yukina were brother and sister, not lovers – "_Oh good."_

"Oh dear…" Riko muttered to herself. "Oh dear, dear, _dear._"

She let out a breath and then threw herself onto the bed. Something like a monster groan erupted from her.

"Oh _damn_. I like him!"

End of Chapter 55

* * *

><p>...^ - ^ I actually have nothing to say, but I like having that line at the end of my chapters because it looks better to me.<p> 


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N:** Ho-hum.

**Upload Date:** 1/5/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 56

"I do not understand. How do you Grim Reapers do this?" Koenma, in his young adult form, peeked over Botan's shoulder and then closed his eyes again, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around Botan's waist.

With a laugh, Botan let her broom dip slightly, sending them into a loop that made Koenma yelp. "What are you talking about? These are so much fun!" She let the broom steady out and looked back at Koenma, who was beginning to turn green.

That morning, she had been delivering papers to Koenma, who had been almost buried under the amount of paperwork that had built up during the Wadoshi Games. Koenma, of course, had been complaining profusely and threatening to run away, so to distract him, Botan had offered to take him out flying. Koenma had accepted readily, something that he was seriously regretting now.

"Slow down!" Koenma commanded.

"But that's no fun!" Botan cried. "Come on, Koenma. Enjoy the fresh air." She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes briefly. "Ah. Isn't it nice?"

"It's hard to enjoy it when I'm afraid of falling and dying." Koenma opened one eye again and then frowned. He opened the other eye and peered over Botan's shoulder. "Botan. Look down. Is that Yusuke?"

Botan glanced down. "It is! Oh and Keiko and Kuwabara and Yukina, too!" She dipped the broom a bit, making Koenma yelp. "I wonder what they're doing all together…" Slowly, a smile spread across Botan's face, and she glanced back at her boss. "I have an idea."

"Oh no," Koenma muttered. "Not another one."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Tell me why I'm with you again, Keiko."<p>

The girl sighed and glared at her childhood friend. "I already told you," She said as she stopped and walked up to the restaurant before them. "Dad has some new recipes that he wants to try out, and since all of my friends are busy, I thought you might like some free food." She glanced back and smiled at Yukina and Kuwabara, who were walking somewhat behind her and Yusuke. "And besides, I doubt that Yukina's had much human food, so this is a good chance for her to try some." She pulled open the door and glanced in. "Dad! I'm here, and I brought some taste-testers!"

Glancing over his shoulder as he reached for some plates, Keiko's dad smiled. "Yusuke! How's my future son-in-law?" He laughed, ignoring the flustered reactions from both his daughter and Yusuke. "I hope you're hungry, cause I have quite a few new things to try." He looked at Kuwabara and Yukina. "And who are these two?"

"Oh, this is Kuwabara. He's a classmate of mine and Yusuke's, and this is Yukina. She's a friend, a… transfer student," Keiko said hurriedly. "Yukina, Kuwabara, this is my dad, and this is our restaurant."

"Pleasure to meet ya both," Keiko's dad said. "Anything you guys would like to drink while I'm making the first dish?"

"I can take care of that, Dad," Keiko said. She stepped behind the counter and got some glasses as the others took a seat in front of the counter. As she poured out the beverages, she glanced at Yukina, who was looking around in something like wonder. She smiled and placed Yukina's glass in front of her. "If you have any questions about anything, Yukina, you can ask."

Yukina smiled at her hostess. "Thank you," She murmured softly. She took the glass and took a sip. "This is a lovely place," She commented quietly. "It feels…" Yukina looked around at the small restaurant. "Warm… cozy." She returned her eyes to Keiko and smiled again. "I like it."

"Yeah," Kuwabara agreed, usually gruff voice a little softer. "This is nice." He smiled shyly at Yukina, who returned the smile full heartedly, leading to lots of blushing on Kuwabara's part.

Keiko watched them, smiling and then glanced at Yusuke, who still had a very blasé look on his face. She scowled. To him, quietly, she muttered, "You know, you could be more grateful."

Without looking at her, Yusuke replied, "For what?"

"Well, you're alive, aren't you? You're with your friends, and you're about to eat nice food."

Yusuke met her eyes – large, brown, kind – and relented. "Alright, fine." He picked up his glass and downed the contents. "But this food had better be delicious."

Smiling, Keiko refilled his glass. She was about to say something else when there was a light knock on the door and then it opened. "Oh, I'm sorry," She said, moving towards the door. "We're closed for the – oh!" She stopped at the sight and then smiled. "Botan! Hi!"

Botan grinned and made a peace sign. Koenma was standing behind her, looking rather pale. "Hi guys," She sang. "We were around, so we thought we'd drop by." She gave Keiko a hug and then took a seat on the other side of Yukina, dragging Koenma into the seat next to her.

Turning to see the newcomers, Kuwabara whistled, "Whoa, Koenma. What happened to you?"

Koenma flopped down on his chair and laid his head on the table. "Blue. Haired devil," He muttered and then yelped as Botan whacked him, her face still in a smile. "Botan! How dare you strike your boss!"

"Strike?" Botan asked innocently. "I don't know what you mean." She smiled at Keiko's dad as he returned. "Hello, Mr. Yukimura!"

Keiko's dad blinked in surprise. "Oh. I see we have more guests. Alright. You two," He nodded to Yukina and Kuwabara, "Can have these, and I'll go back and take out the rest. Keiko, you mind helping?"

With a nod, Keiko followed her dad back and returned with several more dishes of delicious smelling noodles.

"Wow!" Botan exclaimed, excitedly taking her utensils. "It smells delicious!"

"Hope it tastes as good," Mr. Yukimura replied. He placed a final dish before Yusuke. "Dig in, boy. Your taste is particularly important, given how much you come here and all."

Yusuke grinned at the old man.

"Alright. Let's dig in!"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Botan glanced at Koenma as the two walked down the street. They had decided to wait on flying so that all the food that Koenma had just consumed wouldn't be regurgitated by his flight sickness. "Well, that was fun, wasn't it?"<p>

"Yes, but just the thought of having to get up on that broom is already making me sick," Koenma said. He glanced over his shoulder. Kuwabara and Yukina were walking the other way, while Yusuke and Keiko were still in her dad's restaurant, just talking.

"It's good that they got a break, isn't it? Especially since we picked up that message?"

Koenma nodded. "Yes. I'll have to call them in soon."

Sighing, Botan looked up at the sky. "There's always so much fighting going around. Do you think it'll ever end?"

"Unlikely," Koenma replied. "Demons and humans always fight. It's what they do."

Botan looked at him and then lowered her eyes. "I suppose you're right." She took a breath and then said, her voice back to cheerfulness, "Well, are you ready to go home?"

Almost instantly, Koenma turned green. "No, I'd like to visit Kurama."

The color change prompted a laugh from Botan. "You just don't want to get on the broom again, do you?"

"No," Koenma denied. "That's not it. I have a legitimate reason to talk to Kurama, and his house is fairly close by, and since we're already in the neighborhood, this is a good opportunity." He paused. "Also, that broom is an ungodly creation."

Laughing, Botan shook her head in amusement and danced forward, leading the way to Kurama's house. When they arrived, he was, luckily, already outside, looking at some bushes in the front yard. He turned when he heard them coming and smiled in greeting.

"Koenma. Botan. Nice to see you both."

"Nice to see you, too, Kurama. I trust you've been rested?" Koenma's tone had suddenly switched from mostly casual to rather formal.

Kurama frowned at the question and then, his expression turned serious. "I could use a few more days. What's wrong? Has something happened?"

Koenma sighed. "Nothing to speak of, but I don't think that it'll remain quiet for long. I'm going to call everyone in for a debriefing soon. It has been about a month since the tournament ended after all. Have you been able to locate Hiei?"

"No," Kurama shook his head. "But I haven't really been looking. It shouldn't be too hard. I know where he likes to stay, and it's only been a week since he's disappeared."

Botan frowned. "A week?" She asked, startled. "I haven't seen him since the end of the tournament, and it's been almost a month! Where's he been?"

Smiling, Kurama glanced around. "He would not be happy to hear me say this, but he was outside Riko's room for the three weeks that she was unconscious."

"Aww," Botan smiled. "That's so sweet!"

"Yes," Kurama agreed. "Hiei can have his moments. He does care about people he respects, and it seems as if Riko has made the transition to that group."

"Wow," Botan murmured. "Well, considering how she fixed his arm, I guess it makes sense."

Koenma coughed. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have a few more questions, if you don't mind, Kurama? Have you seen Riko around?"

Again, Kurama shook his head. "I'm afraid not, but she dropped by a few days ago, when she was released and told me that she'd be in the Demon World for a while – something about recuperating from the most stressful revelation she had ever had." He looked at Koenma, serious. "Is this a mission that will require her?"

Nodding, Koenma replied, "Yes, but not in her normal capacity. Nor will you be in your normal capacity or Hiei." He shook his head. "I'll give a more detailed briefing when we meet. I'll set a date four days from now. Can you locate Hiei and Riko by that time?"

Inwardly, Kurama calculated. "Yes, I believe so, though Hiei is unlikely to come easily."

"Which is why I'm asking you," Koenma said. "If he's difficult… tell him that he'll be interested in this one."

Kurama nodded. He glanced at his house. "Is there anything else? I'm supposed to go make dinner."

Botan put her hand over her mouth, covering a laugh, and Koenma worked very hard to hide his own smile. "No, that'll be all. Thank you, Kurama. I'll see you in four days."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>There was a rustle among the leaves of the bush. Instantly, Hiei's eyes flew open, and he tensed, hand going to his sword's hilt, eyes flicking from side to side. There was nothing in sight. Still, Hiei remained on guard for a moment until a familiar energy filled his mind. He relaxed slightly and said, rather coolly, "Kurama. Why are you sneaking up on me in the middle of the night?"<p>

With a smile on his face, the red-haired demon stepped from the foliage. "Nice to see you, too, Hiei. How've you been?"

"Fine," Hiei replied. He leapt down from the tree, landing softly. "Why are you here, Kurama? I assume you didn't come for the niceties."

"No, in fact," Kurama replied calmly. "Koenma has a new task for us."

Something like a growl escaped Hiei. "Well, you can tell him that I won't be participating. I am not his lapdog. I am not at his beck and call." He turned and started to walk away.

_Hm…_ Kurama rubbed his forehead with one hand. _I did expect this…_ "Koenma wants us to meet him at his office in three days, and he told me to tell you that you'd be interested in this one. You won't be needed in your normal capacity."

Hiei snorted.

"And Hiei," Kurama continued, ignoring the scoffing noise. "I'd like to ask you a favor." Hiei paused. "Have you seen Riko around? She told me she'd be in the Demon Realm, but she wasn't too heavy on the specifics."

"Hn. What, did Koenma ask you to find her as well?

Kurama nodded.

"I have no idea where she is."

"Well, then, could you help me find her?" Kurama leveled his gaze at Hiei, who stared back for a moment and then looked away.

A soft dark glow started to emit from the middle of Hiei's forehead below the white bandage, and very slowly, the third eye opened, a purple cat-slit eye, smoldering quietly. Hiei's normal eyes closed, and the radiance around the last eye became more extreme.

After a moment, he opened his eyes again. "Go southeast about three miles. She's in a cave, hidden in the side of the mountain."

"Thank you," Kurama said, allowing himself a small smile.

Hiei made a dismissive noise and then turned and walked away.

"Remember!" Kurama called. "Three days!"

There was no response.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Riko?" Kurama called softly. He pushed aside the rubble to make his way into the cave. Inside, there were very soft blue lights. When he examined them, Kurama recognized them as spirit lights, a unique good from Spirit World. The interior of the cave was swept almost completely clean, and everything shone with an eerie light. There were imprints in the stone, as if there had once been artifacts that had been taken.<p>

_Interesting. This must have been her hideout when she was still a thief._ "Riko," He called again, stepping further into the cave.

He kept walking, cautiously, in case of traps, for sometime, until the cave turned a corner, and the lights suddenly grew more numerous. There was some noise now, an echoing voice. Kurama walked forward more confidently, and gradually, moving shadows began to appear – Riko, pacing back and forth at the end of the tunnel, talking to herself furiously.

Bemused, Kurama watched for a moment and then called again, "Riko."

Riko spun, purple fire creeping up her arms, but upon seeing Kurama, she relaxed. "Hey, Kurama. What's up?" She paused. "And also, how did you find me?"

"Ah, well, I asked Hiei to look for you for me. Koenma has a new mission for us. He wants us to meet him in his office in three days."

Irritated, Riko plopped down on the floor. "Are you kidding me? Already. No. Tell him he can find another healer. I am trying to work out a matter of pride here."

Kurama raised an eyebrow and folded his arms, leaning against the wall. "I would, but he said that you wouldn't be needed in your normal capacity."

Surprised, Riko looked up at him. "Really? Huh." She frowned. "Okay… then what could it be…"

"Maybe he wants you as a fighter?"

Riko snorted. "No, definitely not. There are much better fighters than me. Koenma would never choose me as a fighter."

"…Really," Kurama said, dryly. "Because a month ago, you were in a tournament where you were fighting."

"Yeah, but that's cause treasure was involved, and I forced myself into it. Koenma would never willingly put me as a fighter –" She stopped and her eyes widened. "Hey, Kurama, who else has he asked?"

Kurama blinked. "Uh… well, I know that Hiei and I have been recruited."

"You and Hiei…" Riko muttered. "You, Yoko Kurama, one of the greatest thieves. Hiei, a thief. Me, a treasure hunter." Kurama coughed at the distinction. "Okay, thief, whatever," Riko snapped, waving off the detail. "But no, don't you see?" Riko looked up at Kurama. "He doesn't want us in our normal capacity. He doesn't want me as a healer. He wants me as a thief! He wants us as thieves!"

Riko stood up, eyes glittering with excitement.

"Koenma wants us to steal something!"

End of Chapter 56

* * *

><p>What I said last time. Also. Lots of love.<p> 


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N: **Exams are coming up, but not to worry. I have about... three chapters stored right now. :D So everything should be coming with good time.

**Upload Date:** 1/11/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 57

Yusuke yawned, stretching his arms over his head and tilting his chair as far back as it would go without toppling over.

The teacher paused in the middle of his lecture, turned and glared at Yusuke. "Urameshi! Could you please try to pay attention?"

Keiko glanced back at Yusuke, who looked like he was about to retort, something that would not do his image with this particular teacher any favors. "Uh, teacher!" Keiko stood up, raising her hand respectfully. "I think Yusuke might be a bit sick right now. May I have permission to take him to the nurse's office?" She met the teacher's eyes with her own earnest ones.

The teacher hesitated and then sighed. "Fine. Take him."

Hurriedly, Keiko walked over to Yusuke, grabbed his arm and then dragged him from the room. Once outside, with the door firmly shut, Keiko gave Yusuke a whack on the head.

"Ow!" Yusuke cried. "What was that for?"

"For not even trying to pay attention!" Keiko snapped back. "Honestly, Yusuke, do you want to fail school? You're going to ruin your future."

"I already know what I'm going to do," Yusuke snapped back. "And this stuff is just a waste of time."

Keiko scowled. "Oh yeah, and what is it?"

"You should know," Yusuke said. He turned and started walking away. "Thanks for getting me out of class and all that, Keiko. I'll see you later."

_Why that little – and what does he mean 'I should know'?_ "Yusuke!" Keiko grabbed Yusuke by the back of the collar and dragged him back. "You hardly ever come to school. Don't skip when you do! And tell me what you're gonna be."

"No."

"Yusuke!"

"I said, no!"

"And I said, tell me!"

This continued for almost a minute before there was a slight pause and then everything around them froze. The two didn't notice for a moment, until a cheerful voice interrupted them.

"Hi, guys!" Botan said, perky as normal. She had stopped time briefly and popped out of mid-air on her broom. "How are you doing?"

The two started and then turned to face Botan. "Botan!" Yusuke cried. "What are you doing here?"

"You have a new mission!" Botan said. "Now, come on. We have to go meet Koenma." She smiled at Keiko. "Hi, Keiko. Nice to see you, too. I'm afraid I'm going to have to borrow Yusuke."

"Good," Yusuke muttered, clambering onto the broom. "Let's go before she kills me."

"Bye, Keiko!" Botan called.

"What? No, Botan!" Keiko ran to the window as Botan steered out. "Botan, he still has school!" Keiko sighed in frustration as the two disappeared from sight. She leaned on the windowsill. "Honestly, that kid." Keiko looked down at the ground, frustration slowly seeping from her.

It had been a feeling that had slowly been creeping up on her as Yusuke had started to take more and more time out to do detective work. She used to see Yusuke often, if not every day, then at least every few days. She could affirm that he was safe. Now, he was gone for days on end, and she had no way of knowing if he was even still alive.

_Oh Yusuke…_ Keiko closed her eyes and lifted her head. _Please don't do anything stupid._

_Please don't die._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"And, here we are," Botan said. She lowered the broom to the ground, let Yusuke jump off and then stepped off herself. "Come on. I bet everyone else is already here." She pushed open the door to Koenma's office and walked in, Yusuke behind her.<p>

"Urameshi!" was the first thing Yusuke heard. Kuwabara whacked Yusuke on the back. "Hey, way to finally make it."

Yusuke flipped Kuwabara off and then looked around. Kurama was standing next to Kuwabara, and surprisingly, Hiei was in the room as well, standing a little further to the side of Kurama. Riko was also in the room, leaning on the desk in front of Koenma.

"Okay, so what is it this time, Koenma?" Yusuke asked. "Want us to fight in another tournament for you?"

Koenma glared at Yusuke. "I wouldn't go through that experience again if my father made me. No, I have a very different mission for you five this time." He folded his arms before him and sighed. "There is a demon alliance known as the Nightmare Pair."

Kuwabara and Yusuke both snorted, almost in unison. The two looked at each other, glared and then turned back to Koenma.

"What kind of a name is that?" Yusuke asked. "It sounds like a rip-off of some tennis thing."

Ignoring both the snorts and the comments, Koenma continued, "The pair is made up of Gwen de Lire and Lance Grench. Both are very powerful demons. Kuwabara and Yusuke, I would like you two to investigate in the human world. Demons associated with the Nightmare Pair have been appearing much more frequently, and we would like to find out why. It should be fairly routine. Just capture a few of the demons, and learn the reasons behind their appearances. We do not envision that large of a threat, but we would like to cut off any plotting early."

Koenma now turned his head to the other three in the office. "You three have a different assignment. De Lire is rumored to have the Sanguine Necklace -"

"AH!" Riko screamed, a noise that had everyone else in the room jumping out of their skin. "I was right!" She began jumping up and down, turning and pointing at Kurama. "I was right!" She leaned forward on Koenma's desk. "You're going to let us steal it, right? Lemme keep it, please? I won't do anything bad with it, and I've wanted that necklace since I started doing this! Please, please, please, Koenma! This is my dream treasure."

"Ahem," Koenma cleared his throat and leaned back. "When all this is over, my father and I have conversed and decided that, as thanks for all your services, you may have the necklace –"

"Yes!" Riko jumped in the air and started to run around in circles, much to the amusement of everyone in the room, aside from Koenma who looked mildly exasperated and Hiei who seemed to be somewhere between amused and scornful. "_Yes!_ Thank you, Koenma. I love you. That is so awesome. I'm going to get the Sanguine Necklace. _Yes!_"

"You may have the necklace," Koenma repeated, "On probation. We will monitor you just in case for the first year you have it in your position."

Riko waved off the comment. "Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever. Oh wow! I'm going to get the Sanguine Necklace!"

"So… uh…" Yusuke said, staring at Riko. "What exactly is this necklace?"

Clasping her hands together, Riko looked dreamily off into the distance. "It's the greatest treasure ever made." She looked at Yusuke and grinned. "It's like one of the treasures I have, like the ring, except so much more awesome. When you wear the necklace, you're… pretty much invincible. It allows you to use your opponent's power, so if you're stronger than your opponent, you can just crush them normally, and if you're weaker…" Riko shook her head, eyes dancing with delight. "If you're weaker, you use the necklace, and you crush them with their own power." She sighed. "It's such a rare treasure. Nothing else in the world lets you do that. I want it so much."

There was a brief silence, and then Koenma coughed.

"Anyways, to get back to the point, I have hired some… non-affiliates to infiltrate De Lire's hideout as new recruits. You'll meet them in the demon world. They will carry information to Kurama, Hiei, and Riko, who will carry out the theft. You will replace the necklace with a fake." Koenma paused to glance at Riko, who was still in a daydream state and then went on, "The information you get should be accurate. From what we've seen De Lire doesn't really scrutinize her men that much. She considers demons her natural allies, and therefore, she's not afraid of giving them information."

Now, Koenma sat back. "Are there any questions?"

There were no responses.

"Very well." Koenma nodded. "Let's get started then."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Riko bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. She was the first to arrive at the meeting point, a secluded spot in the middle of the forest where Koenma had told them that their accomplices would meet with them, and it was becoming hard to contain her energy.<p>

"Excited?" came a voice from behind her.

She turned her head and grinned at Kurama as he approached. "What, you couldn't tell from my display in the office?"

Kurama stopped next to Riko and looked her up and down thoughtfully. "You're dressed differently."

Riko glanced down at herself. She was wearing a black tank top over a black sports bra and black spandex. Her normal flats had been switched to black combat boots, and she had bobby pins holding her bangs out of her eyes. Over her hands, she was wearing jet black gloves, and strangely, she had no jewelry.

"No weapons?" Kurama asked, raising an eyebrow.

Grinning, Riko held up her hands and flexed them, the gloves rippling over her knuckles. "I got my weapons. These are my treasure hunting clothes." She grinned. "I can't wait. This is going to be wonderful. I'm finally gonna get that necklace." She sighed and then glanced at Kurama. "What about you? You excited to steal again? With permission, too, so we can't even get busted."

Shrugging, Kurama replied coolly, "It'll be an interesting experience to go back to."

"Hm." Riko let her lips spread in a smile. "I look forward to seeing the great Yoko Kurama in action." She glanced into the forest and then closed her eyes, breathing in.

Time passed, and Riko was almost at the point of falling asleep when –

"Hn."

Her eyes flew open instantly, and her head jerked to the side. Hiei had arrived. It wasn't technically their first meeting since her realization, since they had seen each other in Koenma's office, but then, Riko had been much too distracted by the prospect of finally getting her prized treasure. Now, after the excitement had calmed a little…

…_Just act natural. Just be normal. And just do not think of the thing._ Riko closed her eyes again, trying to fall back into her half-meditative, half-asleep state, but she was acutely aware of Hiei's presence now. _Think of the treasure. Think of the necklace… Sanguine Necklace…_ The thought was a brief distraction that brought a smile to Riko's face.

Kurama nodded at Hiei. "Nice to see you join us, Hiei."

Hiei glanced at Kurama and then his eyes flicked back and forth between the trees. Almost invisibly, Kurama nodded again. Casually, he put his hand up to his hair, and almost simultaneously, Hiei lowered one hand to the hilt of his sword.

"There's no need for that."

Riko's eyes flew open, and she looked from side to side, surprised by the new voice. "Who was that?" She asked. She looked at Kurama and Hiei. "Guys?"

"Relax." There was a rustling, and then from behind some foliage, and two figures appeared. Both had strong, muscular bodies, but aside from that, they looked very different. One was tan with shaggy red hair, a white horn in the middle of it all, blue eyes and long, pointy elf ears. He was dressed in white pants, a blue sash with a red stone in the middle and a crossed double sash over his chest.

The other had pale skin, slicked back, pale blue hair with four green bangs. His eyes were blue as well, but a shade that reminded Riko of ice. He was dressed in a cut-off blue shirt, blue pants and a white, one-shouldered tunic, with a purple belt and black gem, all over a long-sleeved, gray fishnet shirt.

"Nice to see ya'll again," said the redhead, smiling genially. "Look forward to working with you." He nodded towards Kurama, who nodded back.

Hiei looked at Kurama. "Who are these people?"

"Yeah." Riko edged closer to Kurama and Hiei. "Who are they?"

The blue-haired one raised his light eyebrows. "Well, that's insulting. I would expect the fire demon not to know, but we did actually meet."

Riko stared at the demon. "We did?" She looked at Kurama. "Kurama?"

"During the Wadoshi Games," Kurama murmured. "It was the fight where you walked out. This is Touya." Kurama nodded at the blue-haired demon. "You didn't actually see him. He was Yusuke's opponent. And this is Jin. He's one of the demons you walked out on."

"Oh," Riko said. She flashed back briefly to the 'fight' and winced. "Oh. My bad. Uh… so…" She tilted her head. "Did Koenma send you guys?"

Touya nodded. "He contacted us about a week ago." He glanced at Kurama and nodded a greeting. "Kurama, it's nice to see you again." Kurama acknowledged the greeting. "Hiei, nice to finally meet you."

"Interesting," was Hiei's reply. "I wouldn't have expected the demon shinobi to do such trivial work."

Smiling, Touya replied, "He paid us. And besides, I have a fight to settle." He looked at Riko, eyes growing a bit colder.

_Ha… oh, that's not good… _Riko blinked innocently and looked into the distance. _Also, why is he mad? I didn't walk out on him._

"Now, now, Touya, don't threaten the little lassie," Jin said, elbowing his partner. "We're here to work together!" He grinned, ears perking up. "Now how's about we get started?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Yusuke, can you please stop pacing around?" Botan asked as Yusuke walked past her for the tenth time.<p>

"Yeah, Yusuke," Kuwabara added. He was sitting next to Botan, cross-legged. "Find your calm, like me."

Yusuke glared at Kuwabara. "Oh shut up. You don't have any calm." He rounded on Botan. "Where are they? We've been here for hours. I'm bored!"

Botan sighed. "Yusuke, it's been fifteen minutes. Just relax. They'll get here." She patted the ground next to her, packed dirt – a patch of land hidden from the public on Genkai's estate, which she had been so kind as to lend to the group (albeit with some complaints). "Sit down."

Frustrated, Yusuke made to sit and then froze. He looked at Kuwabara. "You feel that?"

Kuwabara had frozen at the same time. "Yeah." He got to his feet. "Someone's coming." He frowned. "And they're demons."

He looked at Botan, who shrugged. "Don't look at me. Koenma was in too much of a rush to tell me who it was. But it has to be them. No one else would be able to get onto Genkai's estates." She rose to her feet as well and looked around.

In the distance, they heard a cry, almost like a child's, "Chu! Stop leaning on me! You're heavy! I told you that you shouldn't have been drinking before our job."

"Ah, don't be such a party pooper – whoops."

"Chu!"

Yusuke looked at Kuwabara. "Does that sound like –"

Kuwabara was already running. "RINKU!" He yelled, stomping through the clearing just as two people appeared from among the trees, one much taller than the other.

Chu grinned drunkenly at Yusuke and Kuwabara. "Hello, mateys. How ya been?"

Grinning, halfway between surprised and delighted, Yusuke walked forward. "Pretty good. What are you guys doing here?"

"We're gonna be working with ya, matey." Chu slung an arm around Yusuke's shoulders.

Yusuke coughed at the whiff of alcohol on Chu's breath, turned, saw Rinku and Kuwabara, who looked like they were in the midst of a very violent game of tag, with Kuwabara as the 'it' and Rinku as his very unfortunate target, and then shook his head, grinning.

"Oh yeah. We're screwed."

End Of Chapter 57

* * *

><p>...:)<p> 


	58. Chapter 58

**A/N: **Exams are almost over. Just one more tomorrow! I have stopped writing briefly, but I shall begin again soon! (And besides, I still have a couple chapters in reserve, so updates should remain steady for a while.)

**Upload Date:** 1/16/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 58

Riko blinked at the scene before her and then looked to the side at Jin. "I'm sorry. What is this?"

The five of them were standing before a huge blockade of thorny bushes so thick that it didn't look as if anything could even get close without being pricked. They had crossed through the portal to Demon World and had travelled about half a mile before reaching their current destination. Most of it had been in silence. Touya had refused to talk until they were secure.

Jin grinned. "Well, this here is your campout. Where you'll be waiting for us, while we off at De Lire's." He looked at Kurama.

Kurama nodded and then reached out and touched a thorn. A drop of blood emerged from the tip of his finger, and then quickly, the thorns drew themselves back, creating a passageway into their midst. Kurama stepped through first, followed by Touya and Jin.

Riko looked at Hiei, who looked back at her.

Mockingly, he asked, "Aren't healers never supposed to go last? Or did you forget your own rule?'

A grin split Riko's face. "Oh no. That always holds true. But!" She tilted her head to the side. "I'm not here as a healer, now am I?" Her grin widened, and she bowed. "Please. After you."

Their eyes locked for a moment more and then Hiei made a dismissive noise before walking into the bushes. Riko glanced behind her and then quickly followed. The bushes curled closed behind her, leaving no trace that there had ever been an entrance.

The others were examining the space in between the bushes.

It was rather small, but had obviously designed to be lived in. There were what seemed to be sleeping bags at one end, five of them, placed neatly next to each other. The dirt was padded down, there were no bugs, and a canopy of leaves above kept any bad weather from them. There was sparing furniture, a few chairs and Spirit World-made lights, and everything seemed a little bare, but still somehow cozy. In the corner, there was a section blocked off by some more growth, possibly reserved for niceties.

"This is where you three will be staying while the two of us collect information," Touya explained. "Only Kurama can open the place, so it'll be much more secure that way."

Nodding, Kurama examined the plants. "Healthy. Very nicely grown. I commend whoever did this," He murmured quietly. He looked back at his comrades and then walked over to the middle. "Now. Shall we speak about our tasks?" The others gathered around. "Touya and Jin, I assume that you two have already infiltrated De Lire's hideout?"

"Yes," Touya replied. "Two weeks ago. It was simplistic. All she asked for was a demonstration of strength." He looked to the side, at Riko, who was contemplating him and Jin. "What?"

Blinking, Riko shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm just admiring Koenma's cunning." She shrugged at Touya's eyebrow raise. "I mean, we're supposed to steal this thing without her knowing that we did so, but in case we fail in that… well, blame would fall on the new guys, and there's no way that demon shinobi like you guys can be traced back to Koenma. He's safe in his little tower." She smiled and then shook her head. "Sorry. Go on."

With a slight hint of a smile on his face, Kurama went on. "What information have you gathered so far?"

"De Lire – the lady likes to visit her partners a lot, so she's gone at least once a week, from what we hear," Jin said.

"That'll provide a good opening," Touya added.

"Do you have blueprints?" Riko asked. She was tempted to say something sarcastic to Touya for his very obvious comment, but decided that she could do that after she had the Sanguine Necklace. "Have you seen the necklace at all?"

Touya shook his head. "No, we haven't. It doesn't seem like she keeps it on her person –"

"All the better," Riko muttered.

"- and as for blueprints…" Touya walked over to an empty patch of ground and knelt down, placing the palms of his hands on the dirt. Pale blue fire spread itself from his fingers and slithered into the dirt, creating a patch of what looked like ice. As the others watched, designs began to fit themselves into the ice, drawing rooms and passageways. When he had finished, Touya looked up, "This is what we've been able to access so far. There are several levels." He nodded to the different section. "So far, we suspect that it's on the highest floor."

Kurama nodded. "And does she have a pattern for leaving? What days does she like to be gone?"

"There doesn't seem to be a pattern. She just leaves randomly. We'll see what else we can find."

As Kurama took the information in and thought, Riko walked over to Touya's ice map and squatted down. Curiously, she touched a corner. _Huh. It is ice. _She glanced up at Touya. _An ice demon. Like… Yukina. And…_ She glanced over her shoulder at where Hiei was standing.

"Well, that's a good start," Kurama remarked. He looked at the map as well. "We'll look this over."

"Sounds good," Jin said cheerfully.

"We'll head back now then, if there's nothing else," Touya said after a moment. "We won't be able to visit often, but we'll get messages to you. Try not to go out too much."

They walked towards the door, waited for Kurama to open it, and then walked out quickly before the thorns ate up the empty space again.

Kurama watched to make sure the thorns covered everything and then turned to walk back. Riko had sat back and was looking up at the canopy of leaves. Hiei had retired to a corner, arms folded, sword resting in his lap.

"This is a really interesting place," Riko remarked. "I can't believe he made this just for us."

"Yes," Kurama agreed, walking over. "It is interesting." He took a seat on one of the chairs. "Such an elaborate setup for a theft… it seems as if Koenma considers De Lire a greater threat than he is willing to tell us." He gave Riko a sharp look. "Have you ever heard of her?"

Riko shrugged and stood up, walking over to one of the sleeping bags and unfolding it. "Kind of. I've heard her name before, but not really anything about her. She was on my list of potential people who might have the necklace, but I never confirmed it until now, and I haven't heard anything about her partner." She slid into the sleeping bag and then flipped over, crossing her arms and lying her head on top of them.

"Neither have I," Kurama replied. "As far as I've been able to tell, the Nightmare Pair has only been in action during the last five years or so." He looked sideways at Hiei. "Hiei? Anything?"

Hiei glanced at Kurama. "I have heard of De Lire's name in the underworld, but it has been greatly shadowed."

"Of course. It would be," Kurama murmured. He thought for a moment and then sighed. He looked over at Riko and smiled. "Sleeping already?"

"Why not? I can't leave here, and there's nothing else to do," Riko pointed out.

Shaking his head, Kurama nodded. "That's a good idea. Get some rest."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Keiko ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. She raced down the hall, almost crashing into a couple making their way down. "Sorry! Excuse me!" She skidded around the corner, fumbled in her pocket and then threw open the door. "Yusuke!"<p>

Inside, a surprised Yusuke looked up.

"Keiko." He blinked. "Hey, what's up. What're you doing here?"

Breathing heavily, Keiko stared at him. He was in the midst of stuffing clothes into a knapsack, and by the looks of it, he was about ready to leave. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"…Tell you what?" Yusuke asked.

"That you're leaving!" Keiko cried, frustrated.

"Oh." Yusuke paused. "Wait, how'd you find out anyways?"

"Kuwabara called and asked me to take notes for him!" Keiko snapped. "Why did I find out from him, Yusuke? You should be the one to tell me these things."

Shrugging, Yusuke continued packing. "I mean, it's just for a couple weeks. We haven't seen each other for longer."

Keiko drew back, stung by the comment. Something swirled inside of her, a mix of fury and indignation topped most strongly by hurt. "Yusuke!"

Yusuke jumped, startled by the tone. He looked at Keiko. "…Keiko?"

Keiko stepped closer to Yusuke, head bent downwards, eyes shadowed. "Yusuke. I get it. I get that you like fighting, and that's something that I'm probably never going to be able to change. I get that you live in a different world, and it's one that I don't belong in. I get that I can't stop you. But!" Keiko lifted her head, meeting Yusuke's eyes. Her voice was starting to shake. "I want to hear it from you. Can't you at least tell me what's going on? Can't you tell me what you're doing or, if you're leaving for a while, where you're going or for how long?

"I'm not asking for much, Yusuke. I just –" Keiko wrung her hands helplessly. "It was bad before when you got in fights with normal people, and I knew that you could come home battered and hurt, but now – now, I'm scared I'm going to wake up and find out that you're dead." Keiko closed her eyes tight. The image of Yusuke in his coffin – it was too much. "I can't go through that again. So please… I - I just want to know that you're okay."

A very long silence followed her words, so quiet that it was almost possible to hear Yusuke's mom's snores in the next room.

Yusuke stared at Keiko, surprised by the outburst. "Uh…"

Keiko shook her head. "I know that you're not used to it, and you might not care, Yusuke, but –"

"No," Yusuke interrupted. "No, that's not… I…" He shrugged. "I… if it means that much to you, I'll start… letting you know…" He dropped his stuff onto the couch and sat down. "Um… so, Koenma has some demons that he'd like us to check out, and there've been a lot more appearing, so he wants to know what's up with that. The old hag volunteered her place, so we're gonna be over there for a while, while we clean up." He paused and then shrugged. "I think that's it."

"Okay." Keiko sat down next to Yusuke. "How long are you gonna be gone?"

"Dunno." Yusuke shrugged. "Probably at least a couple weeks."

"And Kuwabara's going to be with you?"

Nodding, Yusuke said, "Yeah, he's coming, too. And we got some other support and Botan."

Keiko nodded. "Okay." She sighed. "I'm sorry for freaking out. I just…"

Before Keiko could continue, Yusuke interrupted, "I'm going to be fine, Keiko. I know what I'm doing, and I've already died once." He smiled teasingly. "I definitely don't wanna go through that again."

Sniffing, Keiko smiled back. "Yeah." She looked around. "Uh… do you need help with anything?"

"Nah," Yusuke said, standing up. "I got it." He hoisted his knapsack onto his back and then paused. Without looking at Keiko, he muttered, "I'll uh… I'll call you when I get to Genkai's." And then, before Keiko could say anything, Yusuke rushed out quickly.

Keiko watched him go, smiling at first, but slowly, the smile faded, to be replaced by a look of worry. She clasped her hands together and then lowered her head, almost as if in prayer.

_Stay safe, Yusuke._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>When Riko woke, it must have been sometime around sunrise, because the Spirit World lights, which were designed to mimic actual lights, were giving off a very rosy, white glow. She blinked for a moment and then sat up, looking around. Kurama had drawn up another sleeping bag and was resting a few meters away. Hiei hadn't moved from his position, but looked to be asleep, eyes closed, breathing slow and light.<p>

Riko watched him for a moment and then scooted out of her sleeping bag quietly and made her way over to the fire-ice demon, squatting half a meter away.

His face was surprisingly neutral, free of any scorn or distaste. He looked remarkably young as well. _I wonder how old he actually is…_ Riko thought. He was a demon after all. He could be any age for all she knew, though she did remember something about Koorime reaching sexual maturity when they turned 100. _And since Yukina hasn't really gone through that… Hiei's probably around that age, too._ She smiled cynically.

_Great. So I know he's less than 100 years told. That's reassuring._ She rested her head on her knees and studied Hiei more closely. _I wonder why… He's irritatingly annoying about strength, he doesn't respect me, he hates humans, and I don't even know anything more about him._ Riko leaned forward, resting her hands on the ground and hopping closer. _I wonder what makes you so attractive to me –_

Riko sat back quickly as Hiei's eyes flew open, and in a second, the sharp side of his katana blade was pressed against her throat. She closed her eyes and breathed. "Hey, Hiei. It's me. Relax."

Hiei didn't lower the sword, though he did seem to relax somewhat. His customary scowl had returned. "What were you doing?" He demanded.

_Hm… how to answer that one, keeping in mind that he can read my mind… lalalalalala. I'm not thinking of anything suspicious. Lalalalala –_

The sword pressed closer to Riko, though it didn't actually cut her. "Stop humming," Hiei snapped. "Answer the question."

"Hiei?" The voice was Kurama's. He had awoken at the sound of the voices and was now somewhere behind Riko, frowning at the situation.

"She was sneaking up on me, Kurama," Hiei said. "What did you want?"

Riko reflected on her choices. She could lie, but it would be hard to do so without Hiei finding out. She could say nothing, but Kurama might step in and save her, but that was unlikely. Or she could tell the truth. _Which,_ Riko thought, _ might actually be the best way out of this. It certainly won't change the relationship, and at least I can quit worrying about hiding it._

"Hiding what?" Hiei asked. The sword pressed closer still, though it still reframed from drawing blood.

With a dramatic sigh, Riko slowly lifted her eyes to look into Hiei's, purple into red and announced, quite relaxed, "I like you."

End of Chapter 58

* * *

><p>...^ - ~...<p> 


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N: **Almost forgot to put this up... xDD Oh, for clarification (mostly for myself), Riko has _golden-brown_ eyes and gray-purple hair. She does NOT have purple eyes. I know I wrote that sometime, but that is WRONG. She has golden-brown eyes. x.x Yeah, I suck at remembering my own crap...xD Whatever.

**Upload Date:** 1/22/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 59

"These are communication mirrors," Botan explained. "We used them in the Four Beasts case, you might remember. Use these to keep in touch."

Kuwabara examined his communication mirror, which looked very much like a compact and then shrugged and pocketed it.

"Kuwabara, you'll be taking the north, Yusuke, west, Chu, east, and Rinku, south. I'll be monitoring everything from the air. If you find anything strange, let me know. Try to capture the demons alive if you can. Tag them with your guns. Some other operatives will bring them in." Botan looked at Chu and Rinku. "And for you two in particular, try not to show off too much of your power. We don't want the humans seeing what you really are. If they do catch a glimpse however, use this spray on them." She handed a tiny bottle to all four. "It'll remove short-term memories and leave a tracker on them so we can check up and make sure that they don't recall anything."

"Sounds good," Chu said, grinning. He lifted the bottle he was holding in one hand to his mouth and took a drink, emptying the thing, which he tossed to the side casually. "I'm ready to go."

"Same," Rinku announced. He pocketed the items Botan had given them, and then flicked out his yo-yos, casually playing with them.

Botan nodded. "Don't get caught. Report back here in two hours."

The four separated, walking down Genkai's estate together for a bit and then each turning to face their own direction.

Kuwabara went north, into the larger part of the city. The sun was setting, and it was getting to the time of day when the delinquents showed their faces and not just the demon ones.

"Oh look, a tough guy."

Glancing behind him, Kuwabara took in the sight of what seemed to be a motley local gang. He squinted, but none of them had a drop of demon energy about them, so he turned and walked away quickly, disappearing around the next corner as fast as he could.

It was then, as he was checking for the gang, that he felt it.

_A demon._

And it was remarkably close by. Kuwabara began walking again, following the feeling. It led him down several backstreets and finally into what looked to be an alley between two restaurants, with cartoon-sized dumpsters stacked next to each other.

Kuwabara prepared himself, summoning spirit energy that crackled in his hand, and then started to round the corner.

Voices stopped him.

"Have you thought about it?" That was the demon's voice, a low hiss-growl mix that made him shiver. What was surprising though was the return voice.

"I – I don't know." It was a human voice.

Peeking around the corner, Kuwabara caught sight of the demon – human-looking enough to be mistaken for one if someone ignored the long, pointy ears sticking out from under its rather fluffy hair. It was facing what looked to be a human girl and felt like one as well.

"Come on," wheedled the demon. "This is for the best. We can help you."

"I… I need more time to think," The girl said.

"No time!" The demon snapped. "You've had weeks! Choose now. Choose us. Come!" He reached out for the girl, who stepped back and hit the wall. A look of fear crossed her face.

_I don't think so!_

Kuwabara leapt around the corner and charged the demon, swiping it with the flat of his spirit sword and sending the poor thing flying into one of the green dumpsters. The girl shrieked in alarm and attempted to back up further, a tactic that failed given that she was already pressed against the alley wall.

"It's okay," Kuwabara said reassuringly. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I just, uh, heard you guys talking, and that guy didn't look like any good, so I just socked him one –"

The girl shrieked again. She pointed at him – specifically at his hand. "A sword! Why – how –"

_Oh crap. She can see it._ Kuwabara squinted more closely at the girl until he spotted what he was looking for – the tiniest drop of spirit energy. The girl had latent powers, which was why she could see the sword. Quickly, he dismissed his orange energy and held up his hands, looking confused. "What sword?"

The girl stared. "What – but – I could have sworn – what -" The event on top of everything else was apparently too much for her as she crumpled and fell to the ground.

Instinctively, Kuwabara raced forward and caught her. He fumbled in his pockets for a moment and then pulled out the spray that Botan had given them. He pulled off the cap and sprayed the girl a few times and then, looking around, laid her cautiously against one of the dumpsters. He proceeded over to the dumpster the demon had fallen into and took out his other weapon – a mix tracker and tranquilizer gun designed to keep a demon sleeping for up to twelve hours and laid a tracker in him so that Spirit World could pick him up whenever.

Taking aim, Kuwabara shot the demon in the arm, and then, pocketing the gun, turned back to the girl. _I can't just leave her here…_ He pulled out the communication mirror. "Hey, Botan?"

Botan's face appeared in the mirror, cheerful as always. "Hi, Kuwabara. Have you got something?"

"Yeah, uh, I just ran into a demon confronting a girl. I knocked the demon out and placed a tracer in him and wiped the girl's memories, but she's fainted."

"It would probably be best just to leave her. She should wake up fairly soon. We'll come for the demon."

"Alright," Kuwabara said, slightly grudgingly. His chivalry was not too comfortable with just leaving a girl in the middle of an alley, but what could he do with her anyways? If he took her anywhere, based on his looks, people would think that _he_ had done something to her. "Oh, hey, but Botan? There was something weird about the conversation those two had. It sounded almost like they were making a deal. And the girl has some spirit power. Really small, but she could see my spirit sword."

There was a bit of a quiet on the other end, and then Botan spoke again, thoughtfully, "That's interesting. We'll interrogate the demon when we get to him. You should get back to patrol. I'll talk to you later, Kuwabara."

"Bye," Kuwabara returned. He closed the compact, gently set the girl down and then quickly exited the alley.

Almost before he had disappeared, the girl stirred. She put her hand to her head, which ached slightly and then looked around. What was she doing in a back alley? She had come there to meet someone… someone who was offering something… but who? And what…

She couldn't remember clearly, but there was something – a spark – a man with grayish skin and elfish-looking ears – a sword made of orange – and some words…

"_I can help you. Come with me. Join us."_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Hm. Well, this is going to make for an interesting mission.<em> Kurama looked at Hiei, whose face was twisting between expressions, none of which were particularly readable. It was certainly a surprising statement, one that even he hadn't expected.

The silence stretched on without a seeming end, until finally, Riko shrugged. There was a squeezing in her chest that was surprisingly painful, but she ignored it, saying "That was the answer I expected." She scooted backwards and then stood up. "Don't worry. It's not like anything will change." She looked at Kurama and asked, voice very casual, "Do you know how we're supposed to eat in here, cause I didn't remember to bring any food."

Kurama restrained a smile and reached into his pocket, pulling out a seed which he placed in the ground next to his body. A spark passed from his finger into the ground, and a miniature tree sprung up and then began to fruit, apples growing and becoming ripe in less than a second. He picked one and then offered it silently to Riko, who accepted it. He watched as Riko bit in and then, when she had finished about halfway, Kurama glanced across the room at Hiei, who had returned to his original position and closed his eyes very firmly again. "Well," He murmured, keeping his voice very soft. "That was interesting."

Riko looked at Kurama with a hint of a glare. "Yeah. I'm sure it was. You know," She said, changing her tone, "I don't think I've ever heard the story of how you became a human, Kurama. When Ono told me all those stories about you, I expected a lot more than what I see."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. It was clear what she was doing – trying to change the subject by redirecting attention. He was much too smart to be fooled by such a tactic. Still, he could be merciful. Kurama held up a hand, as if in surrender. "My bad. I won't probe."

Riko, on the other hand, wasn't feeling so nice. There was a seed of irritation in her. Part of her had hoped to get some reaction from Hiei. The fact that she hadn't had created some frustration that bubbling up inside her, and given that the only available target was Kurama… "No, really. Tell me. How'd you become a human, _Yoko_ Kurama?"

Instead of responding in kind, Kurama simply met Riko's glare with a level gaze and then, after a moment, asked very calmly, "Are you done with that apple?"

For a moment, Riko could only stare at Kurama and then, slowly, she looked down at the core she held in her hand. She had been chewing ferociously without even realizing it. Something in her calmed a bit, and she sighed. "Yeah, I'm good," Riko said. She handed the core to Kurama who dropped it to the ground and then sank it down into the dirt. Riko watched the apple become engulfed, almost mesmerized.

"So," Kurama said, when he had completed his task. "Why don't you tell me how you became a treasure hunter?"

Surprised, Riko looked at him. "What?"

"How did you become a treasure hunter?" Kurama repeated. "From what I heard from Ono, he doesn't really get along with his family, and from what I heard about your family, it doesn't really… approve of…" Kurama smiled and shook his head. "'Treasure hunters'."

The response startled a laugh from Riko. "No," She admitted, "They don't."

* * *

><p>In the corner, Hiei was trying very hard to fall back asleep, but there was something about the quality of Riko's voice that prevented him from doing so.<p>

The recent confession had apparently had some effect on him, because his mind was wrestling with itself over what to do and how to deal with the situation. Part of him wanted to reject Riko completely and break her spirit, but one look at his rejuvenated right arm stopped him. Another part had decided to ignore the problem. It was the most sensible solution and the one he was following, but yet… there was another side.

It was strange, but this part felt some satisfied pleasure at Riko's confession – not, of course, because he returned her feelings, but because of the feeling of control and superiority that it gave him.

He had been indebted to her, in a way, for the new arm, though they were somewhat even as he had saved her life. Still, she had only been captured in the first place because she had left the group in order to concentrate on healing his arm, and even if that hadn't been the case, being 'even' with a human girl who specialized in _healing_ was not a very comfortable position to be in. With this new revelation, Riko had fallen beneath him again – a weak-willed human who couldn't even separate her emotions and focus on the job at hand. It was a reassuring fall – a restoration of the relationship to what it had been originally.

A tiny, cold smile split Hiei's face, though his eyes remained closed shut. And what was more, the relationship had been pushed even further in his favor – as if he needed another advantage. Love was, from what he had seen, a blinding force. Riko was, for all intensive purposes, under his control now. She had said that, "Nothing would change," but that was certainly not true. Things had already changed. They had changed the moment that the human had decided to say her feelings aloud, admit to them. _She's mine now._ _Mine to use without the feeling of a debt._

_Mine._

__End of Chapter 59

* * *

><p>Nom.<p> 


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N: **Nyam, nyam, nyam. Some advertising for a good friend of mine.

Go to deviantART and search "bizmiard". Go to his profile page, look at some of his works, and consider commissioning something. ^^ He's very good. He made me that Hiei pyrograph, and it is _beautiful._ So order something! Lots of love, guys.

**Upload Date:** 1/27/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 60

Riko was silent for a long moment, but finally began again, talking almost as if to herself. "Uncle Ono… he's never really gotten along with the family, but around the time that I was born, they reconciled, Uncle Ono was around while I grew up." In spite of herself, Riko couldn't help but smile a bit at the memory. "He liked visiting us on the holidays, and he would always tell us a lot of stories – me mostly, because my parents didn't really like it.

"When I was six, I began healer training. My whole family is healers, so, of course, I started like that, too." She smiled, a bit bitterly. "There was such a rigid schedule. Train all day, study all night. Simple healing for the first six months, then larger ones, internal bleeding, torn muscles, bones, illnesses… Straight healing for the first five years, then poison healing mixed with better techniques from then…" Riko shook her head. "Everything was planned. There were no breaks. Except when Uncle Ono came to visit.

"I quit healing when I was ten." Kurama raised an eyebrow and said nothing. In the corner, Hiei stirred slightly, as if in surprise, though there was no larger reaction. "That year, Uncle Ono offered to take me with him on one of his… his hunts. I decided to, and afterwards, he started training me to be a thief."

"A thief?" Kurama murmured. He smiled slightly. "I thought you were a treasure hunter?"

Something like a snicker escaped Riko. "I am," She replied, meeting Kurama's smile with a firm smirk of her own. "But we use some of the same techniques as thieves."

Kurama smiled.

"I stayed with him for three years…" Riko's voice slowly acquired the memory quality again, soft and almost dark. "And then… I became my own thief. For almost two years…" Riko's eyes were trained on the ground, unseeing, lashes shadowing over her purple irises. "It took me over half a year to establish myself, and then… I became Keun. Every demon knew me. For an entire year, I was the best." Something like a smile flickered across Riko's face, but it faded quickly. "And then…"

She was quiet for so long that Hiei's eyes flicked open and towards her, and Kurama leaned just a bit closer. "And then?" He prompted.

Riko lifted her eyes, meeting Kurama's directly. They were surprisingly empty, cold, as if she was remembering something she would have preferred to never think of again. A shiver ran down Kurama's back.

"And then Ono was killed."

There was a breath – two, three – and then Riko looked away. "You know," She said, her voice almost normal. "I'm feeling kind of sleepy again, so…" She saluted Kurama and Hiei, mockingly, without looking at them and then got up, walking to her sleeping bag and burying herself into it.

Kurama watched her go, watched the soft fabric fold itself over her head and then slowly, shifted his gaze to look at Hiei.

He was watching Riko.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Botan looked down at the papers again, reviewing the information for the tenth time and then sat back, frowning. <em>That can't be right.<em> She looked again, just to check, but the information didn't change. Gathering up the papers in her arms, Botan got up and walked out of the office, hurrying down the hall to the greater office. She walked in without knocking. "Koenma."

The heir to Spirit World was back to work, stamping like a monster. "No time," He snapped. "Come back later."

"Koenma," Botan insisted, stepping further in. "I have something that you should probably look at."

Koenma slowed, looked at Botan, took in the serious look on her face and then sighed. He put down the stamp. "Alright. What do you have for me?"

Carefully, Botan placed the papers onto the table. There were some words that had been highlighted and figures as well, though to Koenma's work-addled mind, it all looked quite similar. "These are the records for the demons that the group brought in yesterday. If you look here," Botan said, pointing at the page. "You'll see that we had a similar amount to what we normally get – unusually high for this town – and Kuwabara and Rinku both reported catching a lot of demons talking to humans."

That caught Koenma's attention. He raised an eyebrow. "Talking?"

With a nod, Botan reaffirmed, "Talking. Not attacking or anything mostly. Just… talking."

"Have any of the ones we've taken in said anything?" Koenma asked.

"No," Botan shook her head. "Interrogations are still going on, but we haven't been able to get anything substantial from them just yet. But it is strange, isn't it?"

Koenma nodded.

"Also… there's one more thing." Botan hesitated and then went on. "This is not official, but I was talking to Kuwabara after his shift yesterday, and he was telling me about some of the humans he rescued." She frowned and then looked up at Koenma. "Several of them could see his spirit sword, and almost all of the ones that he checked…" She shook her head. "They all had some sort of spirit energy."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>A crackle made Riko poke her head out of her sleeping bag. She looked around for the source, her eyes finally landing on the map that Touya had made earlier. Quickly, she untangled herself and scrambled over to the map. It was moving, new lines creeping their way along what had already been there.<p>

Excitement sparked in Riko's stomach. Without looking away, she called out, "Kurama."

The redhead was already by her side. "I'm here." He examined the ice as the lines continued to draw themselves. "It looks like Touya is sending us some more information."

The two watched as the ice kept on moving, filling in holes in the blueprint. Finally, it slowed, paused, and then snaked to the side, on the brown dirt, where it began to form elegant letters:

_Necklace in highest tower. Not guarded, but traps all around._

There was a slight stop of motion, followed by a hiss.

"The highest tower," Kurama murmured. He looked at the ice carefully, searching over its array until he found the part that fit the description. He pointed at the spot, which had been marked with a small diamond. "Here." He looked down at the levels that led up to the highest tower. "Ten floors above anything else, and from what he's drawn, it looks like almost everything else isn't being used." He tapped the ground thoughtfully. "I wonder why it's not being used."

"Probably for the same reason it's booby-trapped instead of guarded," Riko replied. She was also looking at the map, though with much less fervor than Kurama. "She's afraid that someone will take it." She sat back and sighed. "Ah, but that's so irritating."

Without looking at her, Kurama asked, "What is?"

"Traps." Riko shook her head. "Guards are so much easier to deal with."

Now Kurama glanced at her and smiled. "Of course. You just turn into Keun and destroy them."

"Exactly," Riko replied with a hooked grin. All memory of what had taken place just a few hours ago had been displaced from her mind.

"Something like that wouldn't work in this case anyways," Kurama said in a mock assuring way. "After all, Koenma wants this to be kept a secret, and after the Wadoshi Games, half the world already knows that Keun now works for Koenma."

Riko made a dismissive noise. "Whatever. He could just say that I've gone rogue again." She smiled again, but there was something a bit dark behind that smile, but then made a face. "This is so much more work." She flapped a hand at Kurama. "I leave logistics up to you. Just tell me what you need me to do and when."

Smiling, Kurama returned to his examination of the map. _The problem here,_ Kurama thought, _is that we don't know what traps one has to go through, which makes it nearly impossible._ After a moment of pensive thought, he glanced back at Hiei. "Hiei." The fire-ice demon looked at Kurama. "I know that we should probably leave the investigations up to Jin and Touya, but now that we have a bit more information, would you mind surveying De Lire's base?"

Hiei nodded and stood. He walked over to one of the far walls and faced it. Power began to build up around him, rippling the foliage. Slowly, the third eye began to open on his forehead, black fire skating around his body. The view before him – green thorns and leaves – faded, to be replaced by another scene.

_It was a castle, complete with multiple towers and what looked to be a moat and drawbridge around the entrance. There were demons currently using the entrance. Their energy levels varied greatly, from weak E-levels to higher A-levels. There were a great number of them, but that wasn't what he had come to look for._

_Although there were many towers, most of them intricately decorated and 'guarded' by stone gargoyles, it was easy to distinguish the highest, which loomed over the entire castle. It stood right in the middle and was at least 100 meters taller than anything else. The tip was pointed and the edges were swarming with grotesque gargoyles. There was one window in the tower._

Hiei zoomed in on that.

_The window was translucent and allowed only a partial view of the room inside. It was fairly empty, but everything was hard to discern, and there was a slight buzzing, as if a bee had made its way inside. Something was almost crackling at the edges._

Again, Hiei attempted to zoom in, passing the glass –

A cold wave passed over him, and a swarm of bright purple sparks appeared. For a moment, Hiei could only stare at them. They bore a surprising resemblance to –

They dove at his virtual presence, shocking him back to the forest cave.

There were voices in his ears.

"Hiei? Are you alright? Hiei." That was Kurama, always easily recognizable. His voice was calm as always, but tinged with worry.

"Hiei? Hiei, are you okay? Hiei?" The other voice was trying to imitate Kurama's calm, but failing. It was less familiar, though after a moment, Hiei realized who it was.

When he realized it, he also came to the realization that he had, at some point, fallen to his knees. His third eye was sparking, smoking, and there were cuts all over his body.

"Kurama, what happened to him?" It was the other voice again, more controlled this time, but strained.

Kurama's voice again – and was it him or was Kurama's voice starting to shake now? "It seems like there was a trap on the tower to keep people like Hiei from spying on it. I suspected that there might be one, but I did not think it would be so powerful." Now, more urgently, "Grab his other side. I think he's about to lose consciousness."

"He's got cuts all over," The other voice, "And his eye – look at that, what's happening to it?" There was a shift in the tone. "Hiei? I'm going to heal you, okay?" There was a note of something like attempted mockery entering the voice. "Please remember that I'm on your side, and don't cut me or anything."

He was lowered to the ground, and cool hands laid themselves onto his arms. Fuzzily, he could feel energy spark next to him and saw at the corner of his vision blurry purple sparks.

* * *

><p>Riko sent her sparks scurrying into Hiei's body, aiming first for the surface wounds and then diving deeper, under the skin. The most damaged part definitely seemed to be the third eye, which was actually smoking slightly. That wound Riko left for last.<p>

She had never dealt with a third eye before, and Hiei's especially looked strange, as if it wasn't natural. "Hey, Kurama?" She asked, voice soft. "Hiei's eye… is it… artificial?"

"Yes," Kurama nodded. "Can you feel it?"

"I didn't notice until now," Riko replied. She frowned slightly, unsure how to approach the healing. _Well, let's take a look at what's wrong._

Riko sent a single spark into the eye and explored the inside. There were torn muscles which had caused the eye to fall out of focus. She fixed that first, carefully stitching up the muscle. When that was done, Riko drew back. There was still something wrong with the eye – Hiei's body didn't feel like it was in equilibrium, but she couldn't see what it was.

"What's the matter?" Kurama asked quietly.

"I'm not sure," Riko said back, not looking away from Hiei. "Maybe…" She shook her head. "I don't know. I can't see anything wrong, but he doesn't seem totally normal, yet." She sighed. "It might just take some time. We should let him sleep." She withdrew her magic slowly and then got up, watching as Kurama picked Hiei up and carried him over to a sleeping bag and gently covering the fire-ice demon up.

As he did so, Kurama noticed something swirling around Hiei's third eye, which was slowly closing.

It was a single purple spark.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>The demoness sat back, satisfied that she had stopped the demon spy from viewing anymore of her tower than what could be physically seen – which, of course, was very little. She looked at her hands. The demon had felt very strong, and though he had seemed to be an enemy…<p>

_Well, things like that are always easy to change._

She smiled and lifted a finger, setting off a single purple spark.

End of Chapter 60

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	61. Chapter 61

**A/N: **So yay for consistency for an entire month! Let's keep this up. ^^ Cheers and lots of love.

**Upload Date:** 2/1/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 61

All too familiar purple sparks were dancing around Hiei, though they did so without any sense of order or control. It felt like he was floating in mid-air, a too comfortable position that lent him no control and a sensation that was hard to replicate in the real world, which meant, of course, that he was dreaming.

_Of purple sparks,_ noted one part of his mind. _Surely, I do not feel something for the girl._

Before he could dwell too long on the thought however, the sparks began to swirl and form themselves into a recognizable shape – humanoid. The first feature that became clear was the hair.

At first, Hiei frowned. The hair was purple, which would make sense if he was dreaming about Riko, but unlike Riko's hair, it was much too purple, without a hint of gray in the mix.

The figure continued to form, purple hair, long, pulled back in two graceful loops on the back of the head. She had straight bangs, grown rather carelessly as if they were natural instead of cut. Her body solidified, medium height, with a lack of curves, but a strength that radiated from every limb. With the body came a golden, full-length kimono, traced with white embroideries that made it seem like it was glowing. Next came a golden chain necklace with a cross on the end around her neck and dangling golden earrings.

Finally, her face was formed. The features that formed the face were beautiful, with clear purple eyes, a firm jawline that led to a slightly pointed jaw, high cheekbones accentuated by the slightest blush in the cheeks, thin, long eyebrows and thick, dark lashes, all of which worked together to make her look like a _yamato nadeshiko _– the perfect Japanese woman.

_And nothing like the human._

Or was she?

She looked at Hiei and smiled. "Hi. So you're the one who attacked my tower?" Her voice was just as lovely as her face, smooth and gentle, though her tone was much rougher and more common than Hiei had expected.

"Who are you?" Hiei asked, voice cold.

"I'm Gwen de Lire," The demoness replied. "I would expect you to know that given that you were trying to steal from me. That was the first time I've had to actually use the telepathy defense. Telepaths are rather rare." She paused, blinked and then added casually, "Oh, and in case you're wondering, I'm not one. I can only be here because you made first contact."

"Why are you here?" Hiei demanded. "Where is this?"

Gwen smiled. "We're in your head, and I'm here to ask some questions." It was a very matter of fact way of speaking and dealing with things, one that seemed all too familiar. "One, why did you attempt to spy on the tower?"

Hiei sneered. "I have no interest in answering your questions."

"Very well," Gwen replied. "Then, I'll make some deductions." Her eyes seemed to glow with that familiar purple color. "You were spying on that tower because you want what's inside." Hiei made no response. "And why do you want what's inside? I can only assume that it's for power. And if such is the case, _I_ can offer you much more power than a necklace." Gwen held out a hand to Hiei. "Join me."

"Hn," Hiei snorted in derision. "Unlikely."

"But possible?" Gwen let herself smile again, a cheeky smile that almost resembled - "Why not, telepath? We're both demons, we both want power, and with my plans, we can achieve everything we want."

"I do not work in a team," Hiei snapped. "Teams are for the weak. I will achieve what I want with my own hands."

Gwen's smile widened. "What a demonic sentiment. That's fine. I admire that. But tell me, how much is your what you want worth to you? Do you really believe that you can achieve everything by yourself? It's impossible. Sacrifice your pride. Join me. If your pride is more important, then, telepath, I believe you have to question whether it's power or pride you want. Pride is useless. Power is not." She looked at Hiei, eyes glowing. "What is it you want?"

The words echoed around Hiei, becoming a solid force that knocked his dream state from side to side. Other words were starting to blend with it, strange sounds that didn't belong.

"Hiei." There was a tapping sound. "Hiei, wake up. Kurama, I think Hiei might be having a nightmare, and I'm not exactly sure what happens to demons in their nightmares, but I'm fairly certain I don't want to find out, and I can't heal nightmares, so can you please do something to wake him up?"

"Hiei. Hiei, you are alright." A touch on his forehead, cold, like refreshing water. "Wake up, Hiei."

"Come on, Hiei," Came the other voice. "Wakey-wakey."

"You're very calm."

"Well, I can't detect anything wrong with him, and nightmares don't normally hurt people, so…"

Hiei's eyes flickered open. Kurama and Riko were both leaning over him, Riko with sparks at her fingertips and Kurama with an amused expression.

"Hiei," Kurama sat back as Hiei pushed himself to a sitting position. "How are you feeling?"

Hiei put one hand to his forehead, brow furrowed in irritation and pain. "What happened, Kurama?"

"There was a trap on the tower," Kurama explained. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that it would be so strong. Most demons don't prepare for telepathic attacks. How are you feeling?"

Turning his head, Hiei didn't answer.

"Does your head hurt?" Riko asked. She reached out her hands towards Hiei's head. Her spirit energy sprinted ahead of her and sank into Hiei's skin, adding to the sparks that were already there. Riko frowned. She had a strange feeling something was wrong, as if something was trying to contaminate her spirit energy, but there was nothing there but her power and Hiei's –

Hiei slapped Riko's hands away. "I do not need healing," Hiei snapped, voice abnormally harsh. Her energy swirled within him, blending itself with Gwen's energy. It was impossible to tell whose was whose, and for a moment, instead of Riko's face, he saw that of a beautiful woman with rich purple hair and matching eyes.

Riko blinked in surprise and then withdrew. "…Alright then. Lemme know if you change your mind, you douche." She said the last two words without any change in the neutral tone, something that made Kurama smile.

The smile faded as he turned back to Hiei. "What happened?" Kurama asked, keeping his voice low.

Hiei glanced at the fox demon and then lowered his hand from his head. "I couldn't get into the tower obviously. And Gwen de Lire has some sort of hold in me." He smiled grimly. "She just appeared in my head and offered me a place in her team."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "I hopefully presume that you said 'no'."

"More like 'foolishly presume'," Riko muttered, still irritated by the rejection.

Glaring at them both, Hiei snapped back, "Obviously, I refused. I do not work in teams."

"…That has to be a contradiction of some sort, right?" Riko asked, directing the question at Kurama. "I mean, seriously. If you don't call this a team, what do you call it?"

Hiei glared.

Kurama smiled again and, ignoring the question, asked, "Did she say anything else? Did she know who you were?"

"No," Hiei replied.

"Very well." Kurama leaned back and sighed. "We shall have to find some other way of discovering the traps in the tower. Maybe Touya and Jin will find something useful soon."

"Unlikely," Riko retorted. "And come on, Kurama. You're supposed to be the realistic one among us." She shook her head mockingly at the redhead and then retreated to her corner, taking an iPod from her pocket and plugging her ears with the headphones. Once that was done, she crossed her legs, closed her eyes and set about some semi-relaxation focused meditation.

Kurama stayed where he was, studying Hiei carefully. "Did nothing really happen?" He asked, keeping his voice quiet.

"Yes," Hiei replied.

He wait for a long time until Kurama looked away and then stole a glance at Riko. For a moment, her face changed, becoming sharper, prettier, a demoness -

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Gwen de Lire opened her eyes, stood up and walked over to the door. She stepped out, closing the door behind her and walked down the hall, heading into another room further down.<p>

There was a man in the other room, sitting on a luxurious looking couch. He looked up as Gwen walked in and smiled. "Gwen, hey, what's up?" He leaned back to give Gwen a hug with one arm. "Is something the matter? I felt your power go off earlier."

"There was a telepathic intruder," Gwen explained. "Someone tried to spy on our tower."

"Really?" The man raised an eyebrow. "Did you find out who?"

Shaking her head, Gwen replied, "No, but I got a good grip on him."

"Trying to turn him?" The man grinned.

"Of course. He refused, but he'll come in time. But that's not what I'm worried about." Gwen sat on the arm of the chair, eyes misting over. "He went straight for the tower. That means he must know what's there." She looked down at her primary partner. "And there's no way that he could know unless he has arms in our people. Someone's giving information away. Would you find them for me, Lance?"

Lance Grench nodded in agreement. "Of course. It'll be a piece of cake." He gave Gwen a kiss on the cheek and then stood. "I'll start now."

Gwen watched him go and then looked down at the couch. Normally, she would trust her fighters more, but this was serious business. She could not risk losing the necklace.

It was her only chance.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>There was a knock on Koenma's door, an occurrence that he was dreading more and more. Each knock brought more work for him to complete, and he already had more than he had ever wanted. Still, if he shirked his duties, his father would become annoyed, and an annoyed Yama was not something that anyone ever wanted to see. He called, "Come in."<p>

A Spirit World guard walked in and bowed to Koenma.

Koenma sat up, his tiredness fading away. This guard was one of the ones that he had set to questioning the demons that his Human World team had brought in. The coincidence that almost all the humans assaulted had had some degree of spirit energy was alarming to say the least, especially given the recent flux of demons in the Human World.

_What are they plotting?_

"Have you found anything?" Koenma demanded.

"None of them have talked, sir." The guard straightened and continued, "We do suspect that they are all in cohesion, though. Several of them died when they attempted to respond to the questions, and the cause of the deaths was not natural. They were suffocated."

Koenma leaned back in his chair, expression grim. _Suffocated._ His only sources of information, dying the moment that they tried to speak. "Have you tried to remove whatever binds them to secrecy?"

The guard nodded. "Yes, sir. We've been unable to. It's too strong for us."

"Too strong?" Koenma asked. "For the best guards in Spirit World?"

The guard looked slightly ashamed. "Yes, sir. Sacer came close, but in the end, he was also unable to remove the spell."

The frown on Koenma's face deepened. A spell that his strongest guards couldn't undo and no other way to obtain information about who or what was trying to collect humans with spirit energy. There had to be another way to look at this, another way to find out what they wanted. If only he could use bait… but all the humans that he knew with spirit energy were already in his service and most likely, already well-known to whoever was running the operation –

He stopped mid-thought, and his eyes widened. _No,_ He realized, _That's not true. There is someone…_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"What?!" Kuwabara stared at Botan in complete disbelief. "No fucking way! That's my sister!"<p>

Botan put up her hands in a desperate attempt to stop Kuwabara. "Well, yes, I realize, but –"

"I'm not letting her do that! That's way too dangerous! What if she gets attacked?!"

"Yes, well, we've taken that into consideration –"

"How could you even suggest such a thing, Botan?! I thought you were a good guy!"

"Yes, well, if you would let me finish a –"

"My sister up against – ow!" Kuwabara clutched his head in pain and then turned to glare that the perpetrator. "What the fu – oh," He blinked. "Hiya sis. When did you get here?" He frowned. "What are you doing here anyways?"

Shizuru placed her totebag on the couch and sat down, pulling out a cigarette, but not lighting it. "Genkai called me and told me that I was needed. And I just arrived," She replied, very calm. "Don't make so much noise inside the house. You'll disturb Genkai, and you are her guest, so try to be polite." She nodded to Botan. "How are you, Botan? Is my idiot brother bothering you?"

"Oh, no, I'm good, thank you!" Botan said. She looked at Kuwabara and then at Shizuru. "_But_, I – Spirit World – Koenma – we have a proposition for you."

Immediately, Kuwabara shot right back into protective brother mode. "No way, Botan! I already said – Ow! Shizuru, quit throwing things at me!"

"Quit yelling inside the house. Genkai's letting you stay here for free. Do your best not to intrude on her so much," Shizuru replied, still completely calm. She turned her attention back to Botan. "What do you need?"

"Well," Botan began, a bit more hesitantly, "You see, lately, Kuwabara and Yusuke and some others have been conducting reconnaissance and guard duty around the area, with Genkai's house as their base, and we've discovered something interesting." She paused, looked at Shizuru and then continued, "We've discovered something interesting. In addition to their being a lot more demon attacks than normal, most of the demon attacks – almost all of them – have been on humans who have some level of spiritual awareness."

"You mean, they have powers," Shizuru said. "Like my brother and Yusuke?"

Botan nodded. "Yes, but not even that strong. Some of the humans we saw could just barely see spirits."

"So what's the problem?" Shizuru asked. She took out her lighter and flicked it on and then off casually.

"Well, we've been trying to figure out why the demons have been targeting humans with spiritual powers, but we haven't gotten anything. There is a spell on them that keeps them from talking." Botan paused. "Therefore…"

Shizuru was nodding. "You want someone to act as bait and see what the demons are saying, but you can't use Yusuke or Kuwabara, because every demon in the underworld probably knows them by now, so you want to use me." Shizuru lit her cigarette and took a puff.

"It's way too dangerous," Kuwabara insisted. "Shizuru, I know you're really good at kicking my ass, but these are actual demons, so –"

Lightly, Shizuru gave her brother a look and then switched her gaze to Botan and shrugged. "I can do that. I'll take off work. Tell Koenma he can use me as bait for the next few days."

End of Chapter 61

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	62. Chapter 62

**A/N: **I have nothing to say... xD

**Upload Date:** 2/7/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 62

Gwen de Lire closed her eyes. It had been two days since the breach in security by the telepath. Lance had talked to some of his more trusted lieutenants, but none of them had been able to shed any real light. They had talked and come up with another way to find the culprits.

But that wasn't her problem. Gwen sighed and opened her eyes again. Lance was taking care of that.

She had other concerns. Gwen opened up her hand. A dark black spot appeared, hovering, in the middle of her palm. She once more closed her eyes, and purple sparks surrounded the black one, sinking deep within it.

* * *

><p>Hiei's eyes were shut in the midst of sleep, and there were purple sparks dancing in his mind. They swirled around him and then slowly solidified into the form of Gwen de Lire. She smiled at him. "Hello. How've you been?"<p>

"Why are you here?" Hiei demanded. "How did you get here?"

De Lire ignored the question. "Have you considered my offer?"

"I do not work in a team."

"But that's what you're doing now, isn't it?" Gwen de Lire pointed out. "Why not join a better team?" She grinned and held out a hand. Sparks ran around Hiei, flashing purple. "I can help you achieve whatever you want."

Hiei swatted the sparks away, his own demon energy sparking up around him. Gwen de Lire started to fade.

"Come, Hiei."

The words were in a whisper that gradually faded to black.

* * *

><p>Hiei opened his eyes.<p>

For a moment, the image of Gwen de Lire and her offer was incredibly appealing. He was working with humans right now, humans and Spirit World – the two races that were the sworn enemies of the Demon World. Where was his pride? Obviously working with a demon would be far better –

Hiei glared, shutting down the thought with pure force before it could continue any further.

He stared up at the ceiling for several moments and then summoned dark sparks. They darted through his body, trying to chase out and eliminate the purple sparks for good. The first time, he had been lax in doing so, but now that he knew just how dangerous Gwen de Lire was…

Something shocked him. Hiei sat up and looked down at himself. He could still feel purple sparks that were not his own darting around his body, but there was something else as well. There were purple sparks appearing from his arm. They danced lazily around, travelled to other parts of his body and disappeared. When one reappeared again, Hiei attempted to crush it –

Another shock and something with it – a slight stiffness in his arm as if he couldn't move it for a moment. It was a scarily familiar feeling almost… almost as if he had been hit by the Darkness Flame again.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Boot heels on the wooden stage made a very loud clapping noise that announced that their field leader had arrived to the meeting that he had called them to. He stopped in the middle of the stage and gazed out among the demons who were gathered in a huge mass before him.<p>

Standing somewhere along the right edge were Touya and Jin, Touya with his arms folded, waiting patiently, and Jin grinning peacefully. They, along with all the other demons employed by de Lire had been summoned from their normal training and duties to attend a 'lecture', as the messenger had put it, by Lance Grench, de Lire's notoriously cruel second-in-command. None of them had been told for what.

Lance stared amiably out among the gathered demons and then lifted a hand. Complete silence fell, an impressive feat to achieve among demons.

When he spoke, his voice was like shattering glass, surprisingly pretty and yet – harsh and potentially harmful.

"There is a traitor among you. Who is it?"

No one dared to speak, though glances were exchanged. Touya and Jin didn't look at each other, and Jin didn't let his smile fade from his face, though he did let it soften a bit to suit the situation.

Lance waited for several moments, but when there wasn't an answer, he spoke again.

"If this were my camp, I would torture you all until someone confessed." He smiled at the thought, and shivers ran through the crowd. "But I'm not the commander. And your commander has asked me to take another tactic with you." He began to pace now, back and forth across the stage, taking slow, powerful steps that reverberated sound throughout the room.

Touya felt tension. How had he and Jin been discovered so soon? They were the best at secrecy and stealth. He felt like freezing Lance in place for his dramatics, but resisted the urge and did his best to stay relaxed. Lance didn't know who they were yet.

Finally, Lance stopped pacing, stopping in the middle again and turning to face the room. "Every single one of you has something you care about, someone you care about. So I will not threaten you." His voice was so cold it almost made Touya shiver. "I will threaten the ones you care about. When we find out who the traitors are, we will seek out every person in every world who you have ever felt affection for, and we will kill them in the most painful way possible. And then, we will kill you."

He looked around, meeting the gazes of as many demons as possible, before turning on his heels and walking away, the same way that he had come, his boots making the same cold noise.

There was a collective sigh of relief that Touya and Jin did not participate in. They mimicked the motions of the other demons, pretending to talk about what had happened, but neither of them engaged in the conversation, and as the group exited, the two parted ways so as not to draw suspicion.

Touya headed to the meditation room, where he entered quietly and sat down to meditate. His power rose around him, and using that as a cover, he shifted his mind to the other point of his power, in the center of the hideout created for the other part of the team.

Using ice, he traced out on the ground: _Don't do it again. They suspect traitors._

After all, it could only be them. He and Jin had done nothing at all to rouse suspicion. It irritated him. Things had been going so well, but now, amateurs had to come in and ruin it. Still, it wasn't in his nature to dwell. There were other things to be concerned with.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Don't do it again. They suspect traitors.<em>

Kurama, of course, was the first to notice the message scrawled above the ice map. He walked over, knelt, read it and then sighed. It seemed as if Hiei's efforts had done more than attract attention to him, but also attention to their conspirators. They would have to be all that much more careful to complete the task without revealing to anyone their allegiance.

Three days had passed since the start of the mission, and they were already getting in trouble. _Koenma would not be pleased, _Kurama thought, though he couldn't resist a smile at the image of Koenma's reaction.

"What is it?" Hiei asked, walking over. He looked down at the map and scowled.

"Yes," Kurama agreed. "It seems as if Gwen de Lire is aware of our presence now, and she suspects we have inside help."

Hiei's scowl deepened at the sound of Gwen de Lire's name. His eyes flicked over to Riko, who had been alternating between sleeping and meditating since he had been assaulted by Gwen de Lire's demon energy two days ago. Currently, she was in the midst of sleep, breathing easily, eyelids fluttering slightly as she dreamt of one thing or another.

He turned his attention back to the ice map, staring at the tower that he had tried to invade mentally. Purple sparks flashed in his mind, and he shook his head. "Kurama." The redhead looked at him. "How common is purple energy?"

Kurama raised an eyebrow. He glanced over at Riko. "Do you spirit energy or demon energy?"

"Either."

"Well, Kurama sat back and considered the question. "I have seen demons with purple energy, humans as well. I wouldn't say that it's exactly common, but it's not any more rare than any of the other ones we've seen." He paused. "Of course, both spirit and demon energy are supposedly unique to the individual. Color will vary from person to person." He looked at Hiei, a slight frown on his face, "Why do you ask?"

Hiei didn't answer, but he didn't leave either, which Kurama took as a sign to ask another question. "Are we speaking of our local healer and 'treasure hunter'?" Kurama asked, eyes flicking to the sleeping girl. "Or…" He glanced at Hiei's face. "Is this about something else?"

Again, no answer, but again, Hiei didn't move away. Kurama looked at him, trying to read in his blank expression and tensed shoulders what was wrong. What could it be?

_He asked about purple energy… he's obviously not talking about Riko, which means there's someone else with purple energy. But he wasn't worried about this before. He is now, meaning…_ Kurama's eyes widened. He looked at Hiei. "Does she have purple energy? Gwen de Lire?" Hiei looked into Kurama's eyes and then away. It was as clear a yes as Kurama was going to get.

Laden with the new information, Kurama leaned back, thoughtful. As he had said, it was not unusual for people to have similar colored spirit energy, but having the same shade was almost unheard of, and based on Hiei's reaction, that's what they were dealing with.

But of course, that led to the question, why was the issue only coming up now? The attack from Gwen de Lire had come almost two days ago, so there should be no reason that Hiei was still worrying about it now, unless –

"Is she still assaulting you?" Kurama asked, frowning. It was unusual that someone else's energy could only stay in one's body for a long period of time. Only a few kinds of energy users could do so.

Hiei's head moved a fraction of an inch.

"Why don't you just eject her?" Kurama asked. Even if someone else's energy did manage to stay in, a person could normally get the invader energy out of their system.

It took a moment, but finally, Hiei held up his right hand, the one that had been burned to uselessness by the Dragon of the Darkness Flame and then regrown by Riko in the underground base of the infamous Valeina Ferai.

For a moment, Kurama looked at it, unsure what exactly Hiei was trying to show him, and then he saw it.

One single lazy purple snaked its way across Hiei's pale skin, spun a circle and then sank back into his skin.

"Is that –"

"I have no idea," Hiei snapped, voice unusually harsh.

Kurama took a breath.

There were only a few kind of energy users who could keep their power inside another for prolonged periods of times. Some were puppeteers, some telepaths like Hiei, but the most common of them all…

Slowly, Kurama turned his head to look at Riko. She rolled over in her sleep as if she knew she was being watched, but made no other motion.

_A healer_, Kurama thought._ A healer can keep their power inside another for a longer time than most people, because they have to monitor the wounds. And for a wound such as Hiei's where the only viable cure was to cut off his arm and regrow it, of course, her spirit energy would stay around a lot longer to make sure that everything is working correctly and to help the arm along._

Normally, such a thing wouldn't be an issue. A healer's power did nothing but regulate the healing. It would not interfere otherwise with the one being healed. Things would become a little more complicated if another power tried to invade the body, but still, under those situations, the unique differences between spirit energies would allow someone to recognize the healer and the intruder's energy and simply throw out the intruder without harming the healer's power.

Of course, all that was made a little more complicated if the healer and the intruder had identical energy signatures.

_And if he tries to get rid of de Lire's power, he might end up getting rid of Riko's as well…_ Kurama's eyes flicked back to Hiei's arm. If Hiei accidentally destroyed the effect Riko's power was having inside his body, he might also take out his newly grown limb as well.

Slowly, almost to himself, Kurama murmured, "It would only be necessary to get rid of her if she's having an effect on you. Is that it?" He made himself smile teasingly. "Are you having traitorous thoughts, Hiei?"

His friend glared back, clearly not amused, and Kurama shook his head. "I'm sorry. This is quite strange. You can't tell them apart at all?"

Hiei shook his head. "They even act alike."

_Interesting…_ Kurama thought for a long moment and then smiled. He quickly hid the smile, knowing that Hiei would probably not like what he was going to say next. "Well, Hiei, I believe that there would only be two solutions to this. We could either let Riko take a look at you – I'm fairly certain she could identify what isn't her own power – but this might infect Riko with de Lire's powers, and it might be harder for her to get rid of it. Or." He paused, making sure that Hiei was paying attention before continuing.

"The color and feel of spirit energy is based somewhat on experience and what you know of the person, not entirely, but…" Kurama paused and shrugged, trying very hard not to smile. "If you got to know Riko better, you might be able to tell her power apart from Gwen de Lire's." He put his hand up to stop Hiei from running him through with a glare. "It's just a suggestion."

He waited for Hiei to calm slightly and then added, softly, "But it would probably be best. After all, it'll be hard for you to work if you're constantly fending off de Lire's mental attacks."

Hiei didn't answer, turning his head away instead.

Almost by coincidence, his eyes landed on Riko.

End of Chapter 62

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	63. Chapter 63

**A/N: **Happy Valentine's Day! Love for all.

**Upload Date:** 2/14/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 63

In the most casual manner possible, Shizuru walked out of the mall, carrying in her left hand a bag of freshly bought melon breads, some cigarettes and a new lighter. She smiled absently at people who passed her on the street and walked lazily towards the park, where she sat down on a bench, rummaged in her bag, pulled out the cigarettes and the lighter and took a drag.

The gray smoke spiraled upwards, dissipating quickly into the atmosphere.

Still in her relaxed state, Shizuru reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a small book, which she flipped open and began to read. People passed her by without noticing the discreet, brown-haired, young woman, much too engulfed in their own matters.

About a thousand meters away, high in the air on Botan's broom, Kuwabara was glaring down at his sister through binoculars. He had been persuaded – forced – by his sister to comply with her decision, but it was easy to see that he was still very unhappy about it. In the end, he had only agreed after Koenma had promised two five-member groups, along with himself to protect Shizuru in case anything went wrong.

Which, of course, it shouldn't. After all, none of the other spiritualists had been hurt. They had only been sought out. Still, there was always the possibility that that could change, in which case Kuwabara wanted a lot of people on hand to save his sister.

His sister, on the other hand, seemed very relaxed in her seat on the bench, making her way through half her book before anyone even took notice of her, and then, it was only to inquire where she had bought the cigarettes, to which she gave an amiable answer and then returned to her book.

It took over an hour of reading on Shizuru's part, by which time she was about three-quarters through her book, before anything substantial happened. The sun had travelled from rather high in the sky to just hovering over the surface of the horizon.

By that point, Botan had almost fallen asleep on her board, but Kuwabara hissing, "Botan! Botan, I feel something!" quickly woke her up. She scrambled for a moment, regained her balance and then looked around sleepily, before yawning and peering over the broom.

"What's happening?"

"I feel something," Kuwabara repeated. "There's something approaching. I'm pretty sure it's a demon."

He was right.

From the trees, a hooded figure approached Shizuru, stopping just a meter away from the bench. It waited until Shizuru looked up, the girl still completely composed, before speaking. "Hello."

"Hi," Shizuru said. "May I help you?"

"Do you know that you're special?"

Shizuru raised an eyebrow, surprised by the forwardness of the question. In line with her disguise, she replied, "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

"You have spiritual powers," The figure said. "Have you ever heard of psychics?"

Continuing with her performance as someone who was completely clueless to the supernatural, Shizuru replied, "I have heard of them, and I have also heard that they don't exist."

"Well, allow me to prove you wrong." The figure swept back its hood, revealing pointed ears, a distinctly demonic face. He held out a hand, and pale red sparks fizzled in his hand. "I am a demon. This is demon energy. You have a similar power, called spirit energy. It can be very helpful."

Widening her eyes, Shizuru adopted a shocked tone, "What? How does that – that's impossible."

"It's not," The demon reassured her. "Not in the slightest. Now, I would like to offer you an opportunity. It's a sad fact that most humans with spiritual powers, such as yourself, never have the chance to utilize their powers in the right way or at all. I can help you change that." He held out his hand, clawed and gray. "Why don't you come with me and I can show you?"

With hesitation in her voice, Shizuru shied away from the hand. "I don't know… That doesn't sound very…"

The demon retracted his hand. "Take some time," He said, interrupting Shizuru before she could finish. "Think about it. Meet me here in two days, and tell me your answer then." He paused before walking away. "Remember. You're special. You have a power that could change everything." His eyes almost seemed to glow with the dramatics. "You should use it wisely."

And with that, the demon pulled his hood back over his head and disappeared quickly into the steadily darkening day.

Shizuru, for her part, remained in the bench for a few more minutes and then got up and walked away. She took a bus into the mountains, followed from the skies by Botan, Kuwabara, and the troops that had been watching over her. After a bit of trekking, Shizuru reached Genkai's house. The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, and it was dark enough to require some fumbling around before Shizuru managed to get into the house.

She had only been inside a few minutes before the doors slid open again, and Botan and Kuwabara walked in. Shizuru gave them a lazy smile. "Hey, Botan, Kuwabara. Did you hear everything that happened?" On her jacket, a listening device had been attached that should have given anyone on the other end a very good idea of what had been happening between her and the demon.

Botan smiled at Shizuru. "We got some information, yes –"

"Shizuru!" Kuwabara interrupted. "Are you alright?!" He grabbed his sister and started to check her over. "Did he hurt you?"

Without a change in expression, Shizuru gave Kuwabara a chop on the head. "Don't be ridiculous, little brother. You were watching the entire time. You should have seen that he didn't even touch me. I'm perfectly fine." She looked back at Botan. "So, continue. I felt like there was a 'but' there somewhere."

"Unfortunately," Botan said, "There is." She hesitated, looked at Kuwabara and then continued, "You see… Koenma doesn't think that we got enough information, so he would like it if you met with the demon and…" She took a breath. "…went with him to wherever he wants to take you, so we can see who he's working for."

Even Shizuru raised an eyebrow at the request. It was one thing to be asked to act as bait to attract someone in, when she was well-protected from all sides, but it was a bit different to be asked to let a demon take her somewhere unknown where she would likely have no protection.

Kuwabara freaked out. "Botan! How can you even ask that! Shizuru can't do something so dangerous! She could be hurt or kidnapped or killed!"

Botan put up her hands in defense, helplessly. "I know – we know, which is why it's optional." She looked between the two of them. "We understand that it's dangerous, but…" She shook her head. "We really need to get to the bottom of this. We understand if you don't want to, but it would be very good for us if you did." She lowered her eyes.

"No," Kuwabara was muttering, "Definitely not. I forbid it."

Shizuru looked at him, her expression somewhere between amused and exasperated. "You 'forbid it'? Kazuma, don't be ridiculous. When have I ever listened to you?"

"Shizuru, you can't do this," Kuwabara insisted. "It's so dangerous. We don't know where he's going to take you, and we might not even be able to follow you there. What if you go somewhere where we can't be with you, and you get in trouble, and there's no one to help you?"

For a few moments, Shizuru didn't respond, considering the possibilities. She had no real ties, aside from Kuwabara, to Spirit World, so she had no obligation to help Botan, and yet, Botan was someone that she knew and liked, and she did feel like she should help. Kuwabara was much too worried though to go along with Botan's plan, and as his brother, she was fairly certain that he would not change his mind this time.

"Why don't we make a compromise?" She said finally. "I have to agree with Kazuma that it is very dangerous, so instead of going with him, why don't I just act a little more curious and try to find out who he's looking for?" Mostly to Kuwabara, she said, "It won't be any more dangerous than today," and then to Botan, "And I still might be able to get the information you're looking for, especially if he doesn't realize that I know you."

There was a quiet, where Botan considered the proposition and Kuwabara frowned, but finally, both looked at Shizuru and nodded.

"Alright," Botan said, smiling. "Let's go with that."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>When Riko opened her eyes, it was to the sight of a very sharp blade right in front of her nose.<p>

…_This is becoming much too common an occurrence._

Somewhere behind Hiei, she could hear Kurama saying, "Hiei, is that really necessary?"

"Yes," Hiei snapped.

Riko blinked at him and then sighed. "I'm sorry. What did I do this time?"

Hiei didn't answer, though he continued to glare at Riko.

A bit helplessly, Riko tried to look beyond the sword and its holder at Kurama. "Kurama? A little help here, please?"

There was a pause and then Kurama appeared and carefully pushed the sword aside. Hiei glared, but didn't resist the motion. Riko sighed as the object was removed from the danger zone and then looked at Kurama. "Would you explain what's going on here?"

Not trying to hide his amusement, Kurama replied, "Hiei needs to get to know you." Riko raised an eyebrow, and Hiei glared at the red-haired demo. Kurama made a noise that, on a less dignified demon, might have been considered a snort. "Do you remember when Hiei was attacked by Gwen de Lire? His body has retained some of her power, which allows her to go into his mind and tempt him to betray us."

"…And why doesn't he just get rid of it?" Riko asked dryly.

"Well," Kurama said, eyes glinting with laughter, "The problem is that it looks just like yours, and he doesn't want to risk getting rid of yours and losing his arm again."

Very, very slowly, Riko's eyes widened. After a long moment, she asked, voice soft, "What? Her energy… is… like mine?"

Purple sparks rippled up Riko's body, creating a breeze that blew her hair and clothes about. They crackled and burned as Riko turned her head to Hiei, clearly unhappy with the notion that the color of her power wasn't unique. She reached out a hand. "Lemme see –" She said.

Her power had almost touched Hiei, when Kurama put up a hand. "No," He said, ignoring Riko's glare. "If you take her power in, you might be infected as well, and _that_ would not be good."

The sparks crackled around Kurama's hand rebelliously, but slowly backed down, reflecting the sentiments that their owner had. Riko folded her arms. "Fine. So what do you want to do?"

"Tell us about yourself," Kurama said, returning to the original point. "If Hiei knows you better, it will be easier for him to distinguish your energy from hers."

"…Tell you about what?" Riko asked. "I'm awesome, I like the color purple, I am the color purple –"

"Tell us about Keun," Kurama suggested quickly before Riko could continue on her rant.

Riko blinked and then glared suspiciously at Kurama. "…You're just using this to get more information on me in case you ever have to fight me, aren't you?"

Kurama smiled innocently.

With a sigh, Riko leaned back. "Alright. So. Keun, right?" She glanced at Kurama, who shrugged and nodded. Riko considered the topic for a minute and then laughed. "Wow. What a topic to choose, Kurama. Well, this certainly won't endear me any to you, Hiei." The purple sparks had been fading, but now they bubbled up again, and Riko looked down at her hand. The sparks sneaked over her skin, tracing the marks that Keun wore when she fought, but purple instead of black.

Slowly, the sparks faded and Riko looked back at Kurama and Hiei. Her eyes had darkened, a deep gold-brown, instead of the usual light color.

"I made Keun because I don't like killing."

End of Chapter 63

* * *

><p>Cheers. Have a good week.<p> 


	64. Chapter 64

**A/N: **Ah... Riko's past...

**Upload Date:** 2/21/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 64

"It first came up when I was about 12." Riko paused and thought about it. "12 or 11. I can't remember exactly. Sometime before my lovely teen years, anyways." She shook her head. "I was training with Ono to be a… treasure hunter." She raised her eyebrows at Kurama, who smiled. "And what happened was we finished training one day, he thought I was ready, and he took me out on a hunt."

The words had started out rather flippant, but were getting more and more neutral as Riko's eyes became misty and distant. She leaned forward, propping her elbow on her knee and her chin on her fist. In her mind's eye, she could see a figure.

_He was tall, in his mid to late sixties, lean and muscled with scars dusting his skin as if he had been hurt many times. His hair was almost completely gray, and a few deep wrinkles lined his face. The deepest were the lines around his mouth, laugh lines. On his back was a pack, and attached to his hands were tiger hands, claws that extended beyond his fingers and acted as weapons._

Absently, Riko lifted her other hand and lightly stroked the fingerless gloves that she was wearing.

_Next to the man was a girl who was rather short and petite. Her face was still very childish, with some remnants of baby fat and large, brown-gold eyes. She was looking up at the man, asking a question, something ridiculous probably. On her hands, she wore brown gloves, cut at the fingers, rough, rugged, and made for a good fight._

"We were caught and got into a fight."

_Five demons, lower class, but stronger for the anger in their eyes at discovering humans trying to take their loot._

"Ono killed all of them, but one. He wanted me to fight it, wanted me to train…" Riko's voice became very soft.

_There were dead bodies surrounding the two humans, blood pouring out, guts falling everywhere, pain and death snaking over the ground._

"I tried really hard. I fought. I could do some small shocks with my spirit energy then, but I was mostly doing hand to hand combat. These gloves…" Riko lifted her head and held both hands before her. "When I use my spirit energy, they turn into sharkskin. They tear through everything, and if I hit hard enough, they can cut as well. I hit the demon. I cut him… and blood…"

_Blood flew everywhere, covering the young girl in it._

"I couldn't take it. I fainted." Riko closed her eyes. "I couldn't kill."

It was the moment for Hiei to grunt in derision, but instead, there was silence.

Once again, Riko repeated, "I couldn't kill. And so… to deal with that…" Riko shrugged, almost helplessly. "I created Keun. Most of the older treasures hold some ability to take in spirit energy, and I used that. That's why my power turns black when I become Keun. The markings… They don't just protect me from attacks - wherever they touch and most of the space in between, I can't feel anything. I remove my sense of touch." Sparks flew around her hands. "…Sight…" Around her eyes. "…Hearing…" Her ears. "Everything that might stop me."

The sparks faded. "That's why I attack randomly and viciously. I don't know whether or not my opponent is dead, so… I make sure to… completely destroy them, and I can only navigate by hearing, if I've kept it, or my spirit sense, which is heightened in Keun, but as you might remember, is not the best… but still. It's better to kill as Keun than have to see…"

Silence fell for several minutes, but finally, Kurama had to ask a question. "You've watched fights. I'm certain you've watched Ono fight, and you're a healer."

"It's just – I can't see death that I've caused," Riko replied. She shook her head and smiled a bit bitterly. "I guess all those critical years of healer training – well, let's just say that my family really beat it into me." She shrugged. "I'm a healer. Not a fighter."

Riko took a deep breath and then sighed, before glancing at Hiei. "Well? Do you know me better?"

It took Hiei a very long moment to answer.

He had been partially listening to Riko and partially looking through her mind. The memories there were unusually serious for the personality that he normally saw.

_She's a fool,_ Hiei tried to tell himself. _A complete fool with no sense for life or purpose or power. Just a weak fool._

In response to Riko's question, Hiei gave a neutral, "Hn," and then hurriedly turned his gaze inward towards the purple sparks.

They were swarming now, as if they had reacted to Riko's story, though Hiei knew that that was ridiculous. For a moment, he thought that he could see a difference, a slight shade, a slight change, but when he looked again, it disappeared.

As he concentrated, Riko slowly came back to herself and then hopped over to Hiei. She squatted before him, lowering her head into her arms and gazing at the demon before her.

He really was quite handsome, if in a very sharp way. She smiled to herself, an expression that was much too soft to look like it belonged on her face. _Hm. Interesting. _Riko shook her head and hopped back one step, then turned her head to look at Kurama who was watching with an amused smile. She made a face at him and leaned back further from Hiei.

"You know, Hiei," Riko said, keeping her voice somewhere between neutral and dry. "I'm really disappointed that after almost three months and several healings –"

"Not several," Hiei growled, eyes still closed. "One."

"Are you forgetting about your eye?" Riko asked mockingly. "Yeah, that's counts. Anyways, after all that, I can't believe that you still can't tell my power apart from some person who you just met. Honestly, I mean, even on the most basic level, it should be obvious." Hiei's eyes flickered open. Riko raised an eyebrow. "My power's there to help you. Hers isn't."

The words resonated in Hiei's mind, that and the sight of Riko's eyes, a light shade of brown, with golden swirled in to give it an almost magical glow. Purple sparks danced around them, but it was impossible to mistake her eyes for purple, unlike Gwen de Lire's. And her hair – that tint of gray just dark enough to make it noticeable, as if she had aged too fast for her body to keep up, so different from the rich purple that Gwen de Lire had.

Her face was much more childish, much less beautiful, pretty, but unmistakably human.

And her energy…

Now that she mentioned it, there was a decided difference between some of the sparks. They ran throughout his body, but when he tried to confront some, they folded and disappeared without a fight. The others ran high with energy and fought back, so that even though they looked the same, they were clearly differentiable.

Hiei closed his eyes and went through, hunting down the rebellious sparks and eradicating them from his system. The image of Gwen de Lire which had been burning in his mind slowly faded, and his body became clear of any energy except for his and the hints of Riko's. They hovered in the background, warm, almost comforting –

_Weak,_ Hiei thought. That was why he could tell them apart. They were weak. _That's why_, Hiei told himself. _It's because she's weak._ He opened his eyes again.

Riko was still in front of him, watching him closely. She grinned when his eyes met hers, a childish smile that was so, _so_ different from Gwen de Lire's.

"Well?" She asked. "Are you good?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Touya leaned down, pretending to adjust something on his pants. He waited for the group of demons, who were talking and flipping their weapons casually, to pass and then continued on in the opposite direction, heading quickly and silently towards the tower. It was rather late at night, and most of the demons had already retired. There were a few wondering around, prowlers or the nocturnal ones, but in the shadows, dressed in black with a hood over his hair, he was almost invisible.<p>

Of course, none of that would protect him from the extensive defensives that surrounded the tower.

As he went along, Touya listed the defenses that he had already found out about from either other demons telling him or from seeing him itself. There had been two theft attempts since they had started the job, and Touya and Jin had been present for the rather tragic end of both. Though he scorned the attempts, Touya could understand them.

The Sanguine Necklace was a legend. It made whoever held it not only the most powerful person in the world, but also the best thief in the world. After all, the necklace had never been transacted legally. No, it was always stolen, and they were going to uphold the tradition.

Drawing near the entrance to the tower, Touya slid to a stop and hid in the shadows.

The first defense were the doors themselves, several tons of pure steel, almost impossible for a normal demon to open. That one was common knowledge. On the inside, Touya had seen that the first traps were walls of flame, followed by torrential ice water, guaranteed to freeze one's blood, and then falling rocks. From there, he had heard that one had to proceed up the stairs, which were spiked and poisoned, so that the slightest touch with bare skin would kill.

Incrementally, the stairs stopped on floors, which held "special traps", of which Touya had heard many rumors, but no confirmed facts. Some said that there were simply demons on each of the floors that were positioned there personally and had to be fought and beaten to proceed. Others said that there were just repeat traps, like more flames or ice or trick rooms that led you in the wrong direction.

No matter what it was, it would be impossible to break through all the rooms without alerting some kind of alarm, especially without prior knowledge. Even when someone was authorized to go into the tower – either Gwen de Lire herself or Lance Grench – Gwen de Lire was notified, and though security was deactivated for the moment, the tower turned into a steel trap that would only let whoever was inside out with Gwen de Lire's fingerprint.

_So only two possibilities…_ Touya thought as he traced a finger over the air over the door. Even touching the door was potentially fatal, as Gwen de Lire was alerted from even such a small contact.

They could either attempt to kidnap Gwen de Lire and use her as a hostage to get the necklace – a tactic that would no doubt stir up quite a bit of trouble and almost certainly fail due to the several hundred demons under de Lire's command, her own considerable power, and Lance Grench's cunning – or they could try to steal the necklace despite all the defenses on it and risk being caught or identified.

_Or killed._ Touya grimaced. It was not an easy job. He hadn't really expected it to be when Koenma had approached him and Jin scout out the mission – after all, this was the famed Sanguine Necklace - but the pay had been good, and he was very interested in the Urameshi Team. And though he'd expected difficulty, he hadn't expected this amount.

There was a noise in the distance – a night guard approaching. It irked him to have to retreat from the door and slip back into the shadows, but Touya did so, vanishing quickly from sight.

It had been several weeks already, but still, they had made so little progress. Touya was starting to reach the conclusion that it was unlikely that he would ever really be able to discover all the secrets of the tower's first floor, much less the nine that followed it. It was time to send news back to the three waiting in the hideout of their limited available actions. Waiting any longer wouldn't change a thing.

For the first time in his life, Touya was almost glad that he didn't have to be the one who took the dangerous mission. He was proud of his job, no matter how lonely or isolated it made him, but trying to break into a steel tower loaded with lethal traps and surrounded by a castle fortress and hundreds of bloodthirsty demons led by one of the deadliest of them all was not at all appealing to him.

End of Chapter 64

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	65. Chapter 65

**A/N: **Oh hurrah for thievery. Jk.

**Upload Date:** 2/27/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 65

"You're too weak."

"I am a _master_ treasure hunter."

"Thief. At least have the guts to call it what it is."

"I do have guts. I'm a treasure hunter."

Kurama lifted a hand and rubbed his forehead in exasperation as he listened to the Hiei and Riko go back and forth. The argument had started soon after Touya had sent them the suggestion that it would be impossible to enter the tower and steal the necklace without being identified. That had led to a lot of speculation and crazy ideas (mostly from Riko, who had talked non-stop for several minutes, just laying out ideas), and eventually, she had come to the same conclusion as Touya. Which had led her to suggest staging a coup against Koenma.

A fake coup of course. The idea was to give the impression that she, as Keun, was going rogue again and therefore separating herself and her actions from Koenma. When she later stole the necklace, Koenma and Spirit World would not be held responsible.

Hiei had surprisingly agreed with the plan, but was now insisting that he be the one to stage the coup.

"I'm famous. People are _scared _of me. Come on, Hiei. You might be stronger, but I am _so_ much more suited to this than you."

The words did not make Hiei smile. In fact, a very dangerous scowl ran over his face. "More suited? You can't fight for more than fifteen minutes at a time without collapsing."

"Yes, but I can steal, and my thefts are short and efficient, and I always get what I want."

A snort. "Yuuna?"

Now it was Riko's turn to scowl. "She doesn't count. Their security was ridiculous, and she was there by luck and stupidity."

"The security for this place will likely be much higher," Kurama noted.

Riko turned to glare at him. "Whose side are you on?"

Coolly, but with a touch of amusement, Kurama replied, "Whoever can complete the mission best."

"Which would certainly not be you," Hiei added. He folded his arms. "If fame is your requirement, then we should be sending Kurama. Yoko's name is known far more widely than Keun's."

"Yes, but 'Yoko' looks like a human right now, and in human form, I'm much more recognizable." Riko gave Hiei her best pleading look. "Come on, Hiei. You know I can fight –" Hiei snorted. "- well enough for this, at least, and I did this professionally for _years_. And it's the Sanguine Necklace. Please."

She looked at Kurama. "Kurama, you know how it is. _The Sanguine Necklace!_ It's a treasure hunter's dream. It's the ultimate treasure. There's nothing in the world like it, and there probably won't even be anything like it ever again." She clasped her hands together, trying to look pitiful. "Please? I've wanted this since I started treasure hunting."

Hiei snorted, turning away. "Ridiculous. You go on about every 'treasure' that you see. What ever happened to the Sakar Brooch?" He asked, mockingly.

Riko glared at him. "That and this is completely different."

"How?" Hiei demanded.

Riko let out a sigh. "Okay. The Sakar Brooch is great, but it's something that can easily be made. A bottomless reservoir of energy? That's almost impossible to make. The enchantment that's on that brooch is just a collection one. Demons, over centuries, have put their energy into it, and it has the ability to store that power so that its current owner can use it whenever. It's possible to beat someone wearing the brooch just by exhausting the power supply. But the Sanguine Necklace!"

Her eyes seemed to brighten as she switched topics, the light from the spirit orbs in the hideout bringing out the gold in her irises. Unconsciously, she brought both hands up to her heart, as if she was talking about something that she truly cared for.

"The Sanguine Necklace is special. The enchantment that's on it isn't something that just anyone can do. It makes the Sanguine Necklace one of a kind – the only item in the entire world with the power to not just store power, but to truly copy and make its user almost unbeatable." Riko closed her eyes and squeezed her hands together. The image of the necklace traced itself in her mind. "It's _special._ I want it."

In the back of her mind, in a voice that wasn't hers, the words repeated themselves:

"_It's special. I want it."_

She opened her eyes and looked at first Kurama and then Hiei. Her eyes seemed to burn with some strange light. "Please?" She asked. In any other person, the words and the tone might have been construed as begging, but in the strange light of Riko's eyes, it seemed to be almost enchanting.

Kurama smiled, nodded and then looked at Hiei.

He was looking at Riko with an expression that should have been a glare, but didn't have any heat. His eyes flicked to Kurama, and he looked away. "I don't care," He snapped finally. "If she wants to die, let her die."

Riko grinned.

"That's the spirit."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>SLAM.<em>

Koenma jumped at the noise and turned towards his door. Riko was standing in front of it, purple sparks blazing all around her. She stormed to Koenma and flung everything on his desk off it, sending paper fluttering all around the room.

For a moment, Koenma could only stare at the papers and then, he directed the glare at Riko. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked, voice very cold. Part of it was faked – to give the impression that he and Riko were really having a fight – but part of it was real. He had spent hours sorting those papers, and it would take hours to put them back into order.

There was a flash on Riko's face, something like a smile. It was the closest that he would get to an apology from the girl. Riko brought her hand down on Koenma's desk, making a ringing bang. "I've hand just about enough of you." Her voice was very cold, irritated and downright furious. "You, with your fucking rules and your etiquette and your need to do everything by the book."

She made her voice loud so that it would carry to the halls outside. There was no doubt that they had eavesdroppers, and so much the better. If Koenma's own people were fooled, than there was little doubt that outsiders would be fooled as well. Very few people had been told of what she was planning to do – pretend to betray Koenma and then steal the Sanguine Necklace under Keun's name, so as to free Spirit World from any possible guilt.

"I've been here for much too long, and I have _had it!_" Riko slammed her hands down on the desk again. "You won't let me hunt for treasure –"

"Steal," Koenma interjected curtly.

"Treasure hunting," Riko growled back. "You bicker with me over every little thing I do. You criticize my style of fighting and healing when we all know that I am one of your best fucking fighters." She grinned inwardly, wondering what the rest of the Urameshi Team would say if they could hear her talking now. "And you won't even let me use the Sakar Brooch?!"

They had decided that that should be the main thrust of the anger, given that the tournament was fairly recent and the brooch had been in high prominence throughout.

"I worked my _ass_ off getting that for you, and this is what I get for it? Not even a crummy look at the thing?" Riko glared at Koenma, who glared back coldly. She shook her head. "It's ridiculous. And I have had it." She took a step back, firm, proud.

"Riko," Koenma said. "What are you –"

"I am _done,_" Riko hissed. "I am done working for you and your damn Spirit World." She shook her head. "I thought that it was worth it to stay here if it meant I didn't have to go back to jail, but this is it." Sparks lit across the desk, leaving what looked like scorch marks in the wood. "Good-bye, Koenma. I'm done taking orders from you. I'm done living a boring, normal life, no matter how safe it might be. I'm going to do something else, something interesting and exciting."

She turned and started towards the door.

Koenma called after her, "Riko. We will catch you. You might be strong as Keun, and you might be well liked around here, but if you return to that life again, we will catch you."

Very slowly, Riko turned her head back, eyes flashing gold and brown and purple. "You got lucky that first time. You had help – that bitch Yuuna? You would never have found out who I was if it wasn't for her. And now that I know that you know, don't you think that I'll be able to avoid you? I was a treasure hunter for two years by myself and almost five with Ono, and you couldn't lay a hand on me until you got help." She shook her head, expression both cold and cocky. "Do you really think that you'll be able to do so now?"

Koenma's mouth tightened, and he glared at Riko. Part of the glare was real. While Riko was technically just acting, some of her words held an uncomfortable amount of truth. It had taken them a ridiculous amount of time to track Keun down, though Koenma had told himself that was only because he hadn't been concentrating on that task, since Keun wasn't that big a threat to Spirit World. Still, he knew that part of the reason had been because Riko had been so good at evading capture.

That was one of her strongest traits, disappearing into wherever she was. They had only caught her that first time because she had gone home to visit her family and her uncle's grave. Such a tactic wouldn't work if Riko actually decided to flee one day. She would know that they would wait for her there, and as a result, she would never be caught in such a manner.

A smirk ran across Riko's face, and she gave Koenma a small, mock salute. "That's right. Realize the truth. You got nothing on me, Koenma." She waved as she stepped through the door. "Tell Botan I said 'bye'. And if you send the Urameshi Team after me," Purple sparks blazed around her. "Remember that I healed every one of them. Do you really think they'll be able to jail the person who saved their lives?" She met Koenma's eyes one last time, a winningly cold look and then shut the door.

Her footsteps sounded in the hallway, fading quietly.

After a moment, Koenma leaned back and sighed. He would send out a report that Keun had forfeited her relationship with Spirit World and was now considered prey again. Postings would be put up on bulletin boards for stray bounty hunters to see. Everything would be made to look like Riko had really decided to betray Spirit World and go off on her own. It was an almost perfect plan.

He closed his eyes, the image of Riko's sparks still dancing in his mind. He grimaced and rubbed his forehead. It bothered him that what Riko had said was actually true.

_We wouldn't be able to catch her if she left again, not with our normal troops anyways. And if we sent Yusuke and the others…_ Koenma shook his head. He had seen Yusuke and Kuwabara around people that they considered allies. It would never work. They would never hurt Riko.

_And even if they could,_ Koenma thought, _There's no actual guarantee that they could even beat her._ It was another thing that he didn't like to admit was true, but Riko's Keun-state, while very weak in the fact that it could only last about half an hour in full force, was incredibly strong during that short duration. It would not be easy to beat even if they could catch her. _Especially if the people fighting her aren't giving it their all._

Koenma shook his head. What was he doing, wasting his time thinking about things that didn't matter? It was all in pretend, just to get the Sanguine Necklace from Gwen de Lire without the theft being connected to Spirit World – a connection that his father would most definitely not like. Riko would just be gone for a little while, and they could stage something later to officially bring her back. He didn't have to worry about catching her or fighting her.

After all, she was still on their side.

End of Chapter 65

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	66. Chapter 66

**A/N: **Was supposed to come out yesterday, but unfortunately, FF wouldn't work on my comp? Oh well. Out today. ^^ Cheers.

**Upload Date:** 3/9/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 66

A vein was beginning to pulse in Yusuke's forehead. Finally, he snapped. "Kuwabara, would you fucking stop pacing and just calm the fuck down? Your sister is fucking fine."

"Now, now, now, Urameshi," said Chu. His voice was only partially slurred, surprising, given the number of empty bottles piled messily around him. "There's no need to talk to Kuwabara like that. He's just worried about his sister and there's nothing wrong with that." He reached out and patted Kuwabara on the shoulder as he walked by. "It's gonna be alright, Kuwabara. We won't let anything happen to your sister. Cute broad, she is."

"Don't hit on his sister, Chu," Rinku snapped. "He's so unstable he might go crazy."

"Ah, there's no problem," Chu said lazily. He tilted his head back for another drink, paused and then shook the empty bottle. "What's this? I'm out of drink. Rinku," He flapped his hand at the boy. "Go fetch me some more."

Rinku glared. "There is no way I'm going to do that. Get it yourself."

From across the roof, Botan called, "You guys aren't allowed to leave. The protective barrier has only been set to this place, and if you leave, your energy signatures will become visible." She placed a set of binoculars to her eyes and cast her eyes down on the scene they were observing.

Shizuru was sitting in the park where she had first met the demon that had offered her a chance to use her power, once again reading her book. She was almost done now, scanning the pages with no sign of nervousness whatsoever. They were a few blocks away, with the entire group – Rinku, Chu, Yusuke, and Kuwabara, along with several Spirit World guard groups. Normally, such a large concentration of power would have been obvious to even the most spiritually oblivious person, but one of the guards had the ability to hide power, and so they were all safe beneath a shield that encompassed the entire roof.

Of course, it also meant that they were quite some distance from Shizuru, and it might take a while to reach her if they needed to.

Kuwabara paused near the edge of the roof, next to where Botan was scouting and took the binoculars from her. He had been unusually quiet since Shizuru had taken her place, refusing to say anything but walking around the roof in a manner that suggested that he was trying to carve a canal through it.

After a quick look, Kuwabara leaned over Botan, who was holding a black microphone-like object and said softly, "Shizuru?"

The girl didn't move for a moment, but finally looked up, stretched and turned casually, letting her eyes fall on the roof that she knew the group was sitting. Her eyebrows raised, and then she turned back to her reading. Equipped on her ear was a tiny headphone, which allowed her to hear anything that they said. Attached to the front of her shirt was a small mike in the form of a pin that allowed them to hear her, but they had agreed that talking into it might be too risky if the demon saw, so gestures had been opted for in place of verbal responses.

With a sigh, Kuwabara handed the binoculars back to Botan and walked away, starting up his rounding walk again.

* * *

><p>"You're here. I see that you really were interested."<p>

Shizuru looked up and closed her book. _Good timing,_ she thought absently. She had just finished reading and tossed the book into her bag. "I am," She said, keeping her voice serious. "I… I have always felt something different about me. I'd like to explore it. But…" She shook her head. "I don't know if I can trust you. I…"

The demon – the same one that she had met the first time – smiled and nodded. "You want to ask questions. I understand. It's a very natural urge." He glanced around. "That's fine. But why don't we go somewhere more private? I'm not all that comfortable out in the open. Even if most humans can see what I am, I don't want to risk anything."

Pretending to hesitate, Shizuru looked around. "It's… pretty empty. I don't know. I feel –" She shook her head. "I'd rather stay here. For a while at least."

A flash of mild irritation passed over the demon's face, but he concealed it well, forcing another smile. "I see. Go on then. Ask your questions, and I'll do my best to answer them. Of course, you do realize that some things I might not be able to answer."

"I don't realize," Shizuru said, with a touch of her own personality. "Why are there some questions that you can't answer?"

"Some things we have to keep secret until we're assured of your loyalty," The demon replied smoothly.

"My loyalty?" Shizuru asked.

The demon shrugged. "There are people who do not like what we do. They believe that humans should be kept ignorant of their powers, and so, they try to stop it. Sometimes, they use humans as bait to discover more about us. We want to make sure you're not one of those."

…_Why do I feel like they know?_ Shizuru restrained a shiver. "I'm not working for anyone," She said firmly and then shook her head. "What exactly would I do? If I went with you?"

"We would help you use your power for the greater good?"

"What's the greater good?"

"To achieve a better world, of course." The demon opened his arms. "There are many conflicts in the world right now, and many of them come simply from misunderstandings. Talk doesn't always help with demons or humans. We have to use some power to help people realize that what we are doing is right and good and will create peace for the world."

Another shiver, and this one, Shizuru couldn't stop. Something was dangerously wrong here, but she couldn't pinpoint what exactly.

"You have quite a bit of power, and we can help you use it for the best possible cause." The demon held his hand out to Shizuru. "Please trust me when I say that your power will not be wasted under us. And besides, don't you want to explore that strange feeling inside of you? You are different, and you deserve to know it and understand it. Don't hide away in this world. Come with me to mine, and let me show you all the things you can do."

It took a moment of staring into the demon's eyes before Shizuru realized that he was pressuring her mind with his, trying to make her submit with sheer force of will. He had obviously underestimated her ability to resist such things. Still, she couldn't tell him that. And it might be better to go along with it. At least for the moment.

"How? How do you plan on making it better?" Shizuru made her voice light, pretending that she was in a trance. "And who do you work for? I don't understand."

"You will," The demon said. "We'll tell you everything. Everything. Just come with me to somewhere more private where we don't have to worry about intruders or anything or the sort. Somewhere where we can be safe."

Shizuru hesitated.

* * *

><p>"He ain't giving information up so freely, now is he?" Chu asked, squinting at the small figure of Shizuru and the demon. "This doesn't look good."<p>

"She'll get to him," Yusuke said confidently. "She's Shizuru. She's dealt with Kuwabara's stupidity for years." He braced himself for an outpouring, but got none. Turning his head, he saw that Kuwabara was staring at Shizuru, tight-lipped and concentrating on nothing else. _…Damn punk. How am I supposed to cheer you up if you won't react?_

They watched as Shizuru got to her feet, pressing for more, all the while pretending that she was under the spell. No more information came forth, only vague promises and pleads for Shizuru to go with the demon.

"You know, maybe she should just go with the demon," Rinku said finally, obviously irritated by the lack of progress and very bored. "It –" He stopped speaking as Kuwabara's head whipped around, and blue eyes glared fiercely into his. Rinku held up his hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was kidding."

Kuwabara turned his attention back to his sister. A feeling of unease was creeping up his spine, growing with each centimeter that closed between his sister and the demon. Something bad was going to happen…

* * *

><p>Irritation was starting to build in Shizuru. There was nothing. <em>Whoever taught this guy did a very good job.<em> No matter how she asked for information, no matter how sly she was, he refused to say anything more than he had already done so.

_I have to give a little._ Shizuru realized. She stepped forward.

"Are you ready to go with me?"

"I – yes," Shizuru answered.

* * *

><p>Kuwabara's eyes widened.<p>

_What?_

* * *

><p><em>He'll lead me to his portal, and I can stall there, and the Spirit World people can come here and check out the portal and find out where it leads to,<em> Shizuru reasoned. She reached out and touched the demon's hand –

_WHOOSH –_

* * *

><p>The binoculars fell to the ground as Kuwabara stared at the scene before him.<p>

His sister had vanished into thin air the moment that she had touched the demon. Gone. She was gone. And he had no idea where.

Before Kuwabara had time to panic, a noise came through the headphones.

* * *

><p>It took a moment for Shizuru to adjust to the new lighting. It was dark, and there were moving things all around her.<p>

"A new one? Good job, Rahin. I can feel that her power is strong." It was a woman's voice, perfect and sweet.

"Thank you, General de Lire." It was the voice of the demon that she had been talking to.

_So. His name's Rahin._ Shizuru felt her eyes adjusting. She blinked and looked around. Her heart sunk a bit. She was most certainly not still on earth. In fact, she seemed to be in a stone room of some kind. Standing before her was a beautiful woman with purple hair and purple eyes and a very graceful figure.

"Who are you?" Shizuru asked, pretending to be scared.

Rahin grinned. "This is my mistress, General Gwen de Lire. She is the one I told you about."

"Oh, what did you tell her about me, Rahin?" Gwen de Lire asked, voice delicate.

Rahin bowed. "Nothing specific, General, just that you're planning on something that will make the whole world a better place."

Gwen de Lire smiled, a completely charming expression. "Well, that is true." She looked at Shizuru. "And you, you will help with that." She nodded to Rahin. "Take her down to the others."

"Others?" Shizuru asked. Her spirit sense was tingling, but she knew that there was very little that she could do. Unlike her brother, she didn't have the ability to summon swords from nothing. All she could do was find as much information as possible, hope that the headphones were still working and that someone would come and fetch her as soon as possible.

"That's right," Rahin said. He picked her up, so strong that Shizuru couldn't resist. "We've gathered quite a few spiritually sensitive people like you."

"What are you going to do?" Shizuru asked. "I thought that you were helping us discover our powers –"

A harsh laugh. "That is what we're doing. We're going to harness your powers so that we can fight better." He smiled, taking her down a set of stairs. "Don't worry. You didn't have enough power to make much of a difference anyways."

"What?"

Rahin glanced at her. "You still don't understand? We're preparing for a war."

* * *

><p>Botan's eyes widened upon hearing the crackling words.<p>

* * *

><p>"A war? Against who?"<p>

"Spirit World." Rahin shrugged. "I don't suppose that you've ever heard of them. They make life hard for us demons. We're planning on taking them down once and for all. You humans, too. Demons are the only real creatures that are worth anything, so why should we give a damn about the others? Your powers will come in handy though. General de Lire has found a way to suck your power from you and use it as our own. With so may human batteries, it'll be impossible for Spirit World to take us down."

He stopped in front of a wall of iron bars. Dimly, inside, Shizuru could make out the presence of other people – humans. And many of them. There was a guard in front of the door. He had long white hair, perfectly straight and deep blue eyes.

"Another one?"

"That's right," Rahin said proudly. "Just brought her in. Didn't suspect a thing."

"Hm." The new demon stepped forward and examined Shizuru. Delicately he reached out a hand and with two quick motions, plucked the mike and earpiece from Shizuru. Rahin stared at them, confused. "That doesn't look promising. Who are you working for, Miss?"

"No one," Shizuru snapped. "I was taking a phone call.

"Hm." The demon examined the technology and then said to Rahin, "Inform General Gwen de Lire that we may have a breach in security." He tossed the pieces up and down and then held them to his mouth. "If anyone's on the other side, a warning. Try anything, and the girl is going to die." He dropped the two pieces and then crushed them to dust underfoot.

* * *

><p><em>No. No. This can't be happening.<em> Kuwabara stared at the place where Shizuru had been as the last words that had come through the mike rang through his mind.

His sister had been kidnapped to an unknown location, held by people who wanted to use her power to declare war against Spirit World, and he was who knew how far away, completely helpless to do anything.

"_NO!"_

__End of Chapter 66

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	67. Chapter 67

**A/N: **Happy St. Patrick's Day! Good luck and lots of green to all. xD

**Upload Date:** 3/17/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 67

…_If I assume that that mountain's that mountain, then it should be over here…_ Riko frowned at the map that she had copied from the one that Touya had made for her upon finding out that she was going to be attacking Gwen de Lire's tower all by herself. It was drawn very neatly, but Riko's map reading skills weren't the best. Still, she wasn't lost yet, and she was fairly certain that she was nearing her target.

Folding up the map, Riko stuffed it into the waistband of her spandex since she had no bags and then began moving again. Her pace was slow and easy, a light walk that covered a good distance even if it wasn't particularly speedy.

The air was slightly smoky all around her, that almost incense-like aroma that seemed to drift almost constantly throughout Demon World. It was a spell that a human could never really get used to, but that most demons didn't really seem to notice. Riko breathed deep and then reached up and stretched, flexing her hands.

They were covered in the rough gloves that she had brought with her. They were leather, smooth on the inside with a rough exterior that became razor sharp in combat and allowed her to not only smash her opponents but cut them as well. They had been custom-made for her by her uncle Ono and had the same property as many of her treasures, allowing her to use her spirit energy in an offensive manner. However, unlike most of her treasures, they required that she fight in close range and utilizing hand-to-hand combat.

It was a skill that had been one of the first Ono had taught her. Due to her young age, she had caught on quick, but it had been years since she'd actually fought someone with such a method.

_Still, I'm fairly certain my muscle memory still remembers._ Riko kicked and punched a few times experimentally. The punches lacked much power, but she could still do them. _And besides, that's what my spirit energy is for._

The thought twisted something inside of her, but she crushed it for the moment. This was a mission, and she was supposed to steal. To steal, she would need to fight, and to fight, she would have to let go of all those other… habits and concerns.

Shaking her head, Riko let out a sigh and lifted her head to the sky. It really brought back memories to be by herself, hunting for treasure. She could almost see her younger self – _Younger self. Who am I kidding? It was like two years ago._ – Riko smiled at her own idiocy. The smile slowly faded as her mind drifted again to what she was doing.

_Hunting again. Fighting again. What if it leads to what it did last time… I'm a failure._

"No. No, I am not," Riko whispered. She clenched her hands, feeling the rough texture of the gloves on her skin. "I'm not. I am one of the best healers in all of Spirit World, which is saying something considering those guys are all lovey-dovey and sweet and perfect, and healing is like a walk in the park for them. I regrew an arm. I am definitely not a failure. No. No, no, no."

"_You couldn't save him. You let him die."_

Riko clutched one arm with her other hand, trying to force down the bad memories. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea to go off hunting again – real hunting – after so long away from it. Maybe she should have let Hiei go instead –

_Hiei…_ And just like that, Riko's mind switched focus, turning instead to the incredibly cranky and cold demon. _Well, I guess the coldness makes sense since he's actually an ice demon in disguise._ She smiled a bit at the thought and at the reaction that she might get from Hiei if she said such a thing to his face. It would not be a pretty scene if he stayed consistent.

Pausing, Riko checked out her surroundings and then noticed, a little to the right and in front of her, there was something peeking over the horizon – pointy towers that looked as if they were attached to one heck of a castle. Riko smiled, her mind clearing. Her target was in sight.

She went forward another few hundred meters and then stopped.

Purple sparks lit around her, dancing in a smooth circle. Riko lifted one hand and then ran the tip of her exposed index finger over the rough part of the other glove. The motion, fast and jerky, ripped open the skin, and blood welled up. Carefully, Riko wiped a bit of the blood onto each glove and then closed her eyes, allowing her power to take over.

She pulsed, once, twice, and then –

Blackness exploded around her, and the markings began to creep their way through her body, spiraling around her arms, her legs, her torso, her neck, up to her head. There was a pause there, and then the normal black lines that would have surrounded her eyes and ears failed to appear.

_I'm not there yet,_ Riko thought. _It's better that I don't close off my senses yet._

Keun took a step forward, brimming with power and then began to run towards the castle, black and purple literally cracking off her. The gloves that she wore were now bristling, and if it hadn't been for the blackness that encircled her fingers, they would have been cut off by the sheer sharpness.

As she approached, Keun noted the presence of many demons throughout the castle, but with a surprisingly lack around the tower. Her first move was to get through the gate. It wouldn't be too hard. The two guards there ran when they saw who she was, and it was rather simple to send down the drawbridge and cross the moat.

Demons were swarming, some towards her, some away, caught between wanting to see the spectacle and not wanting to die. Keun looked right past them, making her way quickly for the tower.

A particularly brave – or particularly stupid – demon stepped into her path. He was saying something, but Keun paid no attention. The black spirals snaked briefly around her ears and eyes as she punched and sliced twice and then stepped past the body, blood dripping from her body and hands. It quickly rolled away, repelled by the black marks, and then the spirals retreated again, giving her back both vision and hearing.

There were shouts and cries of alarm as Keun approached the tower.

The door to it was steel, it seemed, made so that no normal force could possibly break through.

Sparks snapped around Keun's hands as she sliced downwards with her right hand. A crack appeared in the door as Keun repeated the attack twice more, one more vertically and then another horizontally, creating a small door through which she pushed.

The moment that she got through, arrows shot at her, and Keun flinched. The metal tips hit her flesh and were thrown back by the power of the markings.

Faint satisfaction drifted to the surface of Keun's mind as she continued forward, taking the stairs that spiraled upwards two at a time. When she reinforced her power, she was almost invincible. Physical attacks had no effect on the black marks, and spiritual attacks had to have a lot of force behind them and be a direct hit.

She skated her way past the first two floors, without issue. On the third, she encountered a demon, who began to talk as soon as she entered. Keun shut off her senses and then punched and kicked forward, slicing the demon into tiny bits and walking past her as if nothing had happened.

The same was repeated on each of the following floors, with each fight taking just a bit more time and creating just a bit more mess.

Dimly, in the back of Keun, Riko thought, _They're becoming stronger._

Still, it was no matter. She was drawing closer and closer to her prize. Riko felt excitement bubble up inside of her, along with a feel almost akin to heartbreak. She crushed it.

Keun pushed open the door to the final floor.

It was sitting on a pedestal, completely unguarded. It was a simple chain of gold, shaped like a double-helix with one small ornament hanging from the middle: a tiny moon that seemed to glow with the promise of pure power. There were no special markings, no elaborate decorations, but somehow, it still managed to be the most beautiful thing that Keun had ever seen.

_The Sanguine Necklace._ And then, _Finally._

She stepped forward, making her way to the pedestal. With delicate care, she touched the necklace –

The pedestal sank into the floor. Keun grabbed for the necklace, but just missed as it disappeared beneath stone.

"Well done."

Keun whirled.

_Wow,_ Riko thought.

Standing before her was a dark haired, dark eyed young man. He was dressed in a plain, collared white shirt, black tie, and black silk vest over dark pants and dress shoes, as if he had been wearing a tuxedo but had decided that the jacket was too much work. He was smiling at her, black eyes twinkling, and even under the haze of Keun, Riko could tell that he was incredibly attractive.

"I've heard of Keun before, but this was the first time that I've ever seen you at work. It's quite impressive. You're the first one who's ever made it up here. Of course, Gwen did have a suspicion that you might come, so we put in some extra precautions."

Keun blinked at the man, bent her knees and then launched herself forward. She started with a kick, which the man dodged and then proceeded to launch a barrage of punches. The demon blocked them all and then skidded back.

"Well, that wasn't very polite. I was trying to give you a compliment."

Without the slightest reaction, Keun leapt forward with another attack.

The man sighed as he dodged. "Ah, and Gwen was hoping that we could be civil, too. Oh well, it's no matter." He grinned, and for a moment, red flashed in those dark eyes, a glimpse of bloodlust. "I was hoping for a good fight." He kicked at Keun, who blocked, the force reverberating throughout her body and then kicked back.

Jumping back, the man pulled out a knife and waited for Keun to charge again. Experimentally, as he dodged, he sliced against her skin. The blow was repelled. "Aw," He murmured, disappointed. "Your power keeps you from bleeding. How sad. I was hoping to see some human blood. The stuff from demons isn't anywhere near as satisfying." He kicked again.

Once again, Keun blocked and then launched her own attack. The man dodged.

Deep down, Riko stirred again. She had never met someone who could dodge every single one of her blows or – even more so – knew to dodge ever single blow and not block any for fear of being cut. It irritated her, the lack of contact, and it worried her. She had already been in Keun form for almost an hour, and her power reserves were slowly beginning to fall. Much longer, and she couldn't be able to hold out. She had to finish this.

With pure power, Keun struck again, and this time, her blow was not dodge.

No, this time, the man caught her arm, right below where the glove ended. The black markings sparked around him, but did no harm. "That's enough," The man said coolly. "This is boring if you can't strike me, and I can't harm you. And besides, I'm sure that Gwen will want me to put you with the rest of them." He grabbed her other arm before she could strike and held her fast.

For a moment, Riko was confident that she could get loose. Keun had never let her down before. She attempted to move her arm, frowned and then tried again. Her arm didn't budge a millimeter. Her eyes slowly widened.

_What is this – what –_

Sparks flew around her, part of them hers – a brilliant purple that shone in the dimly lit tower – the others his, black as night and every bit as brilliant as hers, albeit much, much darker.

Carefully, he transferred both of her arms into one of his hands and examined her more closely. "So this is the face of Keun. You're much prettier than I had imagined. Much smaller, too." He laughed and shook his head. "Who would have thought that this was the face that terrified demons for two years."

Keun stared blankly into his eyes, but from where she had buried herself, Riko asked, "Who are you?"

The man grinned. "Aw, you don't know who I am? That's sad. You should always know who you're stealing from. It'll keep you from getting into trouble." He shrugged. "Like now, for example." His grin deepened, and there was a decided note of violence in the expression.

"My name is Lance Grench, second in command to General Gwen de Lire."

End of Chapter 67

* * *

><p>Lalala.<p> 


	68. Chapter 68

**A/N: **Wow. Just checked the records, and I've been consistent for almost twenty chapters. ^^ I feel so proud of myself. This one comes a little earlier to make up for last week's being late.

**Upload Date:** 3/22/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 68

_Thump._

Lance glanced over his shoulder, at the helpless girl draped over it. He had just ducked under an alcove but hadn't accounted enough for Keun, who had been hit. "Oh, my bad. Are you alright, my dear?"

Keun didn't answer, her face and body still decorated with the faintly pulsing black spirals. Her head was starting to spin, and it was taking every ounce of her concentration to keep her guard up.

_I can do this_, Riko thought. _I've trained for years –_

_For years, but not for this._

Suddenly, Lance stopped and lifted Keun from his shoulder, setting her lightly down on the ground. For a moment, Keun blinked into Lance's eyes, just a few centimeters away from his face. Then, Lance turned Keun so that she could see what they had come to.

Facing Keun was a set of bars, steel or iron or some other very strong material. It looked to be a prison of some sort, and inside –

_Humans._ Dozens of them. Sitting around, doing nothing, whispering in fearful tones, some of them taking note of their guests, though none of them ventured close enough for features to be made out. None of them except for one.

A slender figure stepped from the darkness. Her long brown hair, still neat despite her imprisonment, fell past her shoulders, and she was dressed in casual clothing. Her brown eyes were still strong and stubborn, and though there was dirt on her face, none of it seemed to have done any damage to her personality.

Very slowly, Keun's eyes widened.

_Shizuru?_

"Aren't they quite a sight?" Lance asked, his voice echoing in Keun's ears.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Come on, Touya, why aren't you drinking?" The spikey-blonde haired demon wrapped an arm around Touya's neck in a friendly way and offered him a bottle. "This is a celebration for you and Jin after all. You guys have made it past the first barrier. You're <em>official,<em> official members of General Gwen de Lire's army now! Loosen up a bit! Look at Jin!" The demon nodded his head off into the distance, where a redheaded Jin was performing party tricks by levitating alcohol into the air and spinning it in strange designs.

Touya gave the demon a faint smile. "Thank you, Shota." He accepted the bottle, though he made no attempt to drink from it. "Though I'm not quite sure what the fuss is about. Weren't we already members of – what did you call it? – Ms. De Lire's army?"

"Nah, nah," Shota shook his head. "You can't be calling her that anymore, not now that you're an official member. She's _General_ Gwen de Lire now."

"Why 'General'?"

"Well, 'cause she's the head of our army, don't you see?" Shota shook his head. "Honestly. And I thought you were the smart one between you and Jin."

Trying to conceal a frown, Touya replied, "I thought you were using 'army' as a general term before, but… why would General de Lire need an army?"

Shota grinned, obviously very happy with the words that were to follow. "You'll be glad to hear this one, and I'm sure glad to tell it. It's been hard keeping everything secret from you 'til you two were official. We're going to war, we are."

…_What?_ Very slowly, Touya felt his heart start to beat faster, and though he tried to stop it, his eyes opened a bit in shock. He quickly forced himself to calm down and asked, keeping his voice light and jovial, "War? War with whom? I haven't seen any enemies around."

Sighing dramatically, Shota replied, "With Spirit World, of course!" Touya's hands clenched into fists. "They're our natural enemies after all, always catching us and imprisoning us even if we didn't really do nothing. They're always trying to put us down, and they always side with those weak pathetic humans." He shook his head. "The general's got a great plan. She's gonna be able to take them all down with it, and we're never gonna have to worry 'bout them again. It'll be all freedom and peaches."

Still as calmly as he could, Touya asked, "Oh? What's the plan?" He masked the tension in his hands by opening the bottle of beer and taking a sip. It was cold and tasteless on his tongue, which had gone numb from worry. What was this? Neither he nor Jin had heard of anything like this. Koenma had certainly not said anything. A war? It was something that had never been tried before. After all, Spirit World had a god on their side. How could demons hope to match up to a god.

"Well, you see, we've got lots of demons around here, and we're all gonna work together to take down all them Spirit World guards and such. Should be a piece of cake with the way we've been working out." Shota puffed out his chest in pride. Touya pretended to smile endearingly. "But the real seller, well –" He grinned, a viciously delighted expression. "You know that thing that we keep hidden in the tower?"

_The necklace._ Touya nodded.

"Well, that thing is pretty nigh near invincible. Whoever uses it will always win, and General de Lire plans to use it against Spirit World – their really strong people, King Yama, Koenma, all those people – but see, the problem with the thing is that it makes you pretty invincible, but it takes up a huge stack of your spirit energy. That's why it hasn't really been used before. You're strong when you use it, but it only lasts for a short while, and lots of people who've used it before have been killed." Shota paused and took a drink. "I think I'll get another one. You want one?"

"Ah, no, I'm fine," Touya replied, again forcing a smile. Shota nodded and wandered off briefly, leaving Touya to stew until he returned, somehow even more tipsy than he had been before.

"So, where was I?"

"The neck – the thing in the tower," Touya prompted him.

"Oh, right. So, the way it works is that since you can't really use that thing on your own power, the general decided that the best way to deal with it would be to use other people's powers. 'Course, that brought up lots of problems cause she didn't know whose power to use. She couldn't use ours, 'cause we were her arm and she didn't wanna hurt us. It took her a while, but she figured out the best way." Shota stopped again and shook his head. "Those high-class demons. They're really something else. The brains on them, eh?" He nudged Touya and laughed, the noise just a bit too loud.

Touya restrained the urge to hit him to make him spit out the information faster. Pressure was building inside of him. Whatever was coming, he was sure that he wouldn't like it in the slightest.

After another gulp of his beer, Shota went on. "So, see, since she couldn't use our energy, she decided that she would use human energy."

"What?" The word came out before Touya could stop it, but thankfully, Shota was too drunk to notice anything too out of the ordinary with his friend.

"Well, you knows how some those humans got energy kinda like ours? Spirit energy or whatsit. Well, see, the general, she's so smart, she and Colonel Grench have discovered a way to harness their energy, so she can use their power instead of her own to power the thingy. That way, she can keep going for as long as she wants without killing herself." Shota smiled happily at Touya. "And that way, we're gonna beat King Yama and Koenma and all those damn Spirit World bastards. We been collecting the humans for sometime now, and we got a whole ton of them. We got scouts in the Human World, and they're taking every human with any spirit energy at all in with them." He slapped Touya on the back. "Don't it sound great?"

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Do you have everything, Hiei?" Kurama asked. He looked around the small camp again.<p>

Hiei did the same and then gave Kurama a nod.

The two of them had been called back by Koenma after the plan to send Riko in had been decided. Apparently, there was more trouble on Earth than they had been anticipating, though the report had been rather vague. Botan had told them that they didn't have any more details at the moment, though that might have changed.

As if on cue, there was a ring from his pocket. Reaching in, Kurama pulled out a communication mirror and opened it. Botan's worried face appeared.

"Kurama!" She cried. "Riko! Riko, has she left?!"

Blinking in confusion, Kurama glanced at Hiei and then back down at the mirror. "Yes, she has. Botan, what's the matter? Has something happened?"

Hiei stepped closer.

"You have to stop her," Botan was saying. "You have to! You can't let her go to castle."

Before she could continue, Kurama noticed something else. Next to the map of Gwen de Lire's castle, words were appearing – a message from Touya.

'_Stop Riko. Don't let her go.'_

A frown appeared on Kurama's face. "Why?" He asked urgently. "She's already gone? Why?"

"We've been trying to keep the demon population here in the Human World down, and we discovered something. The demons are only targeting those who have spirit energy. We –" Botan's expression took on one of almost desperation. "We used Shizuru as bait to draw one of them out, but… she – she got captured and taken. We had a listening device on her, and we heard that they're working for Gwen de Lire! She's planning on waging war with Spirit World, and she's going to use the humans against us."

On the dirt, ice letters said, _Gwen de Lire is kidnapping humans and using them for their spirit energy. She plans on taking down Spirit World._

"You have to stop Riko. You have to find her and bring her back, whatever you do."

Very slowly, Kurama lifted his head so that he met Hiei's eyes. The fire-ice demon was staring at the words that were spelling themselves out on the dirt now, the scrawl unusually messy. Botan was still talking, and the words ran through all of their minds. It was fairly obvious what the outcome was. After all, Gwen de Lire was taking in humans with spirit energy, and Riko was a human who had a large amount of spirit energy.

"_If they capture her, they're going to use her!"_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"It's like a dream come true," Lance said as he finished his explanation. "We've been gathering humans for so long, and now this!" He smiled. "Who would ever have thought that we would have been able to capture Keun, who is known for her unusual strength? You're worth so very much, my pet." He reached out his other hand and stroked Keun's cheek. "You're going to help us defeat Spirit World. All for the better, isn't it, considering that you're running away from them?"<p>

Keun didn't answer, but there was turmoil running throughout her body.

"And now," Lance's voice suddenly became deeper and layered, angelically beautiful, "Let's make the transfer official, shall we?"

Black fire flowed from him and surrounded Keun, almost melding with the markings that covered her skin. "Let down your guard," Lance commanded.

There was no reaction at first, but slowly, millimeter by millimeter, the black lines began to retreat, leaving Riko's pale skin, unmarked by any of the battles or traps that she had gone through just an hour before. Her gloves softened back to their normal state, and she almost stumbled at the sudden wash of power out of her. They disappeared from her feet upwards, until finally the markings on her face slipped back into her gray, purple hair, leaving Riko blinking dull golden eyes at Lance.

He smiled at her. "That's better. Your face is much prettier without those black markings." He let go of her arms. Riko didn't move an inch from where she stood. Lance's smile widened. He reached up and touched her face again, stroking it tenderly. "That's a good girl." Riko flinched slightly, but calmed immediately as Lance spoke again, his soothing tone matched by the soft black fire that issued from him. "Be calm. You don't have to worry about anything, my pet. I'll treat you very well." Carefully, Lance leaned in and gave Riko a small kiss on the forehead.

Again there was no reaction.

_Perfect._ Lance smirked. "That's a good girl." He glanced at the caged humans. "I was going to leave you here, but I don't think I can stand to see you turn dirty like them. Come," He took Riko by the hand and started leading her back up the way they had come from.

"_You're one of us now."_

End of Chapter 68

* * *

><p>I'm sure that some of you saw that coming. Cheers.<p> 


	69. Chapter 69

**A/N: **...Spring break does not do good things to you. I have watched almost six seasons of 30 Rock over the past few days. I beginning to hear Tina Fey in the back of my head (which is glorious, because she's amazing, but I don't think this is healthy).

Anyways, I hope that you guys enjoy this, and I encourage you to share this story wherever you can/want with as many people as you can. Publicity is always lovely. ^^ ALSO, if you guys like Chiryo, please subscribe not only to this story, but also to me as an author. Chiryo will come to an end (I have already planned it, but when exactly, that's up to you guys to find out), and I plan on doing a sequel to Chiryo (if you want), so when that comes out, I want you guys to know and enjoy it. So, cheers. Publicity and all that. :D

AND FINAL announcement of the week: **MizuKaji** has been awesome enough to draw a picture of Keun. Please check it out at theanonymouspen . deviantart . com (Look for the picture entitled "Keun"), and give lots of love!

**Upload Date:** 3/28/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 69

Gwen de Lire pushed open the door into her study and then stopped.

There was a girl standing next to her desk, and Lance was sitting in the chair before her desk. He had reached out both hands and was holding one of the girl's in a casual kind of way. Sparks passed between them, all of them black – his power. Lance looked up as she walked in and smiled, pushing himself to a standing position. "Gwen, my love."

"Hi," Gwen said. She leaned forward to kiss Lance lightly on the cheek and then walked around to the other side of the desk, where her business chair sat. Without a hint of jealousy, she looked over at the girl. "Is this the person who tried to steal the necklace?"

Lance nodded. "Yes." He pulled Riko onto his lap, where she sat, eyes vacantly cold.

"How'd she do?"

"Incredibly well, didn't you, my lamb?" Lance reached up a hand and tilted Riko's face so that she gazed into his dark eyes. "She got past all the defenses, all our demons stationed on every floor, and there wasn't a scratch on her skin. Very impressive. But then, what else could one expect from Keun?" He smiled at Riko and then looked back at Gwen. "I stopped her on the final floor, and well, let's say the spell worked like a charm. She's ours now."

Smiling, Gwen nodded. "Good. She'll be useful, whichever way we choose to use her." She rummaged in her paperwork for a minute and then glanced up at Lance. "You've taken a likening to her? So soon?"

"She's human, and yet she still manages to be feared by demons and called one of the greatest thieves in the world. Power is always intriguing." He wrapped an arm around Riko's waist and looked into her face again. "And besides, I've heard accounts from Koenma's office. She's quite the cheeky little girl, too. All the more interesting." He leaned in and gave Riko a kiss on the cheek. "I'll woo her properly after we win the war."

Absently, as she scrawled something on a piece of paper, Gwen asked, "So you're going to kill her?"

"Maybe," Lance replied, his eyes glittering. Riko blinked at him, innocently lost in the myriad of sparks that flew around her. "Or maybe she'll win."

"Hm…" came Gwen's noncommittal noise. "Make sure you're ready. We had a breach in security the other day. One of the humans we brought in had a listening device attached to her. They found out that I'm behind the gathering of the humans. I believe that it may be Koenma, and if so, then…" She shrugged. "He'll be arming up his forces. Make sure everyone's ready."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"We've heard nothing from her. She agreed to leave us a note at her den – I've been there – to let us know how it went." Kurama shook his head. "Hiei and I went there before we came back. Hiei scanned, and I looked around. There was nothing there, and she hadn't been there for quite a while." He met Koenma's eyes evenly, despite the worry inside. "It's been a week. We can only assume that she's been captured."<p>

Koenma stared past Kurama for several silent minutes and then closed his eyes. "Very well." He got out of his chair and started towards the door.

"What are you doing?" Hiei asked, voice very cold.

"I'm going to mobilize the troops," Koenma replied. "If Gwen de Lire wants a war, she will get one." He paused at the door. "Your help would be appreciated, but… I understand if you would rather not partake in this one, given that Riko might be one of the enemies. The same goes for the Yusuke and Kuwabara. Tell them for me." He walked out, and the door closed behind him.

'_I understand if you would rather not partake in this one.'_

Kurama looked at Hiei and then asked one simple word, "Well?"

Hiei looked back at him and then smiled coldly. "I don't have any attachments to the girl, and I certainly am not going to miss out on a good fight." His right hand moved to rest on his katana hilt. "Besides, I owe Gwen de Lire a favor for trying to mess with my mind. She's famous for her ability to fight. Hopefully, I'll get to experience that."

"Yes," Kurama said dryly. "And if you're lucky, you'll also be able to experience what it's like to be on the other side of Keun."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Kuwabara's answer had been the fastest. He hadn't even thought about it before saying, "Yes." In one sense, Kurama could understand it. After all, his sister had been taken. He wanted to get her back. He knew that he should say something. Shizuru was likely to be used against them, and that would place Kuwabara on a dangerous spot. Would he be able to fight? Kurama almost questioned him, but the cold look in Kuwabara's eyes stopped him before a word could escape.<p>

He had never seen such a look in the human's eyes.

* * *

><p>Yusuke had answered almost immediately after Kuwabara. He had been watching Kuwabara, obviously concerned, though unwilling to show it.<p>

_Of course. Because such would be a sign of weakness._

That hadn't been it, nor had Kurama suspected that that would be Yusuke's only motive. There was a flash in the young man's eyes when he had described the legend that was Gwen de Lire and Lance Grench. After all this time, there was still something in Yusuke that made him want to fight, no matter how much danger it might put him in. It was all worth it if he got that brilliant fight.

Helping was his main priority though, and Kurama saw that he pushed his urge to fight with Gwen de Lire further back to nudge Kuwabara and get him to talk and eat – distracting him.

* * *

><p>Chu and Rinku had no problem going in with the fight. Both had heard of Gwen de Lire and Lance Grench, and both wanted to see what they were actually like in person.<p>

"Plus," Rinku had added, rubbing his nose in a childish manner. "The orange dude's been pouting a lot lately, and it's really annoying, so we might as well get his sister back and stop his sulking."

The most open way that Rinku would ever admit to actually caring about or helping Kuwabara.

Chu had grinned and patted his little teammate on the head. "It'll be fun," He drawled. "And besides, Kuwabara's a good lad, and his sister was one hell of a broad. We'll get her back, no problem."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurama leaned back against the trunk of the tree and looked up into its branches. Hiei was sitting on one, much higher up, hands folded behind his head, looking off into the distance with those startlingly red eyes. He had seemed completely normal after their return to the Human World and their subsequent trip to Spirit World. His acceptance of going to war against Gwen de Lire had come quick and without any reservations.<p>

_As if he doesn't have a single concern._

But that couldn't be true. As much as he liked to pretend at times, Kurama knew that Hiei had emotions and feelings towards others as much as everyone else. He wondered what was stirring in him now.

Vengeance, surely, with a touch of good old-fashioned anger. After all, Gwen de Lire had almost succeeded in turning him, and for a demon who prized himself on his will, that must sting quite a bit. Taking her down would be the least that Hiei would want to do.

Intrigue at her methods and her goal. That was also there, right on the surface.

Mild excitement at the chance to work with the Dragon of the Darkness Flame again, perhaps to gain even better control over it. The demon that he had fought at the Wadoshi Games had hardly been a challenge for its power. Perhaps Gwen de Lire could provide the challenge that it needed.

And to round it all off, a touch of distaste and irritation. The human had been captured again. Again. Another sign of her supposed weakness.

"_Can't even pull of a theft right,_" He had said, scorn dripping from his lips.

Kurama liked to imagine that there was more, mayhap a bit of worry for the girl who had regrown Hiei's arm almost at the cost of her own life. He personally quite liked Riko and would find it quite entertaining if she managed to catch a hold of Hiei's heart, unlikely as it was.

* * *

><p>Finally, Kurama turned to himself, delving into a bit of introspection now that he had finished examining everyone else in their circle.<p>

Why was he going into what could turn out to be a full-flung war?

Well, one, his conscience couldn't quite let him go without telling him that if Gwen de Lire succeeded, thousands of people would die, and the Human World, including his beloved mother, would suffer quite a bit. It was his "duty", as much as Kurama hated terms like that, to help bring Gwen de Lire down.

Of course, there was his concern for Riko and to a lesser extent, Shizuru. Riko had saved his life, was his friend and colleague as well as the niece of one of his accomplices, and Shizuru was the sister of Kuwabara, who he cared about and a nice enough girl in her own respect. Neither of them deserved to be used for nothing more than the simple reason that they happened to have been born with more spirit energy than the average human.

And finally, underneath all the good intentions, Kurama couldn't help but be a bit intrigued by what Gwen de Lire was doing, an intrigue very similar to what he had dedicated in Hiei. This was the first time since Raja had been in power that any demon – or anyone, for that matter – had attempted a full-out war against Spirit World. That Gwen de Lire would be so bold and so confident… he wanted to see why. He wanted to see what kind of a demon she was and whether there was any possibility she could live up to whatever she had promised the demons on her side to get them to join her.

_Unlikely, if she's like any of demons I've ever encountered._ But there was always a chance that she had the ability.

And if she did… well, Kurama wanted to see how it went.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>It was a very strange sight, everyone milling around in general quiet, a few conversations here and there, but mostly soft speech and grim expressions. Even the Spirit World soldiers, who were used to this sort of work, didn't feel like saying much. There was the potential, in what they did today, to launch an all-out war between demons and Spirit World. Once the demons learned that Spirit World had launched an attack on a bunch of demons, many of them would probably not be happy.<p>

Koenma knew this, knew that the attack might draw more demons to Gwen de Lire, but he also knew that if he waited for an attack to come, more people might die. The humans who were captured might die.

_The humans._

His hands tightened into fists as the thought pricked his mind. Marching on Gwen de Lire would put anyone who was in her control in grave danger. He had already contacted Jin and Touya, who were still trying to work from within to do whatever they could, and they had agreed to stay in the danger zone. They were strong, could protect themselves. The humans on the other hand…

_If we fight, some will die._ It was a truth that Koenma knew he could not change. He had always thought that lives could not be bargained and that he would never do such a thing, but here, he was, about to launch an attack on a demon general who held dozens upon dozens of humans in her power. And the first wound that would be struck would be from the flesh of those humans.

And it would be his fault.

_No. Not my fault,_ Koenma thought to himself. _Not my fault. Her fault. She is causing this. She is. She is forcing me to this._

It was true, as far as it went, but still, Koenma's chest tightened as he thought of Riko acting cold and calculating and proud – the last image that he had of her – of Shizuru, smoking incredibly calmly and ignoring the coughing Ogre by his side who had obviously not liked the smoke – the last image of her.

_Oh please,_ Koenma prayed, though he wasn't quite sure who he prayed to. _Don't let that be the next image I have of them be their dead bodies._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>The army marched in an orderly fashion, the motley crew of Rinku, Chu, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei and Koenma at the front. They were not in formation, but walked in their own manner, whether it was drunkenly or casually, hands in pockets. Still, they made an impressive image, a few individuals at the head of a legion of Spirit World soldiers.<p>

It only took them half an hour from where Koenma opened the portal to arrive.

Kuwabara stopped and, green eyes blazing, looked up at the castle of General Gwen de Lire.

End of Chapter 69


	70. Chapter 70

**A/N: **Oh, I can just _feel_ exam month creeping up on me. I have a few chapters in reserve and a few more to go before I can guarantee a consistent schedule for the next couple months. Still, I should be able to get there, so I hope you continue to enjoy! Cheers.

Also, sidebar, this is kind of a strange chapter. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. So, fair warning. xD

**Upload Date:** 4/4/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 70

Koenma looked around at his troops and then said quietly to Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Chu, Rinku, and Hiei, "Step back." The four did so, with only one strange look, a miracle for them. Koenma faced the castle and put his hand to his throat.

"General Gwen de Lire." His voice boomed, and the castle seemed to shake just from the raw sound. Certainly, his own men seemed a bit surprised, though none of them, except Yusuke, who began cursing under his breath, moved from their position. "I am Koenma, assistant ruler of Spirit World. We have learned of your plot against Spirit World, and I will give you one chance to surrender before I have my soldiers blast down your walls and take all your warriors prisoner. You have one hour to respond."

He stepped back, folded his arms and waited.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>There was a knock on the door, followed by a quiet, "General?"<p>

Gwen de Lire looked up from her afternoon tea. "Come in."

A pale blue demon poked her head in. "General, they're here. They're right outside the castle walls. Lord Koenma, he's given an ultimatum. We have an hour if we wish to surrender."

The expression on Gwen de Lire's face didn't change a bit as she nodded. "Very well. Inform Colonel Lance. Tell him it might be best if we use Keun. And ready our troops. If we're lucky, we won't have to fight today. But if we do, well, best to be prepared."

With a nod, the demon closed the door. There was the soft sound of footsteps away from the door and then silence again, leaving Gwen de Lire alone with her thoughts.

None of which, surprisingly enough, were focused on the fact that right outside her beautiful, stone castle, there were probably thousands of Spirit World soldiers, led by a very angry Koenma. No, those thoughts were hovering somewhere in the background, somewhere unimportant, pushed to the side by the greater thoughts that were occupying Gwen de Lire's mind.

_There is no logic. Only emotion. There is no reason. Only idealism. There is a plan. But hope conquers all._

Yes, it was a powerful force, hope. It was a trait held in common between the demons and the humans, the ability to think that something might turn out alright even if all signs pointed in the other direction. It was a powerful emotion, one that could drive armies and push countries.

_Humans are disgusting. Humans are the lowest of the low._

They were words that had been repeated to her over and over again as a child.

_Spirit World enables them, helps them keep us down. We are not meant to be kept down. We are demons. We are strong and proud and free, and one day, we will regain our freedom._

Casually, Gwen de Lire lifted the teacup to her mouth and took a sip. The liquid was still quite warm, though no longer burning hot. She placed the porcelain creation on the saucer and stood up. Pushing her chair back, she walked towards the exit of the room, stepped through the entrance and closed the door behind her.

As she descended the stairs, she heard buzzing aplenty. Her soldiers were ready and eager to fight. They were getting ready for the war that they had been preparing for. Upon the sight of their general, every demon stopped in his or her tracks and gave a salute. Whether it was out of fear or respect or love or some combination of the above, no one would be able to tell.

She passed them by with a courteous nod, moving swiftly, but with no hurry in her steps. Why should she hurry? It would take them a while just to get through the walls, and long before that happened, her warriors would destroy their little army.

Her footsteps slowed as she reached the steel wall that separated the stone castle from the highest tower in the place. Instead of going through the door, Gwen de Lire placed a hand on the cold steel and closed her eyes. Purple sparks, brilliantly lit, spun from her fingertips and entered the steel, perforating its edges until the entire thing was glowing faintly.

The door opened, and Gwen de Lire stepped in. Another step, and the door closed tight behind her, sealing so cleanly that there didn't even look to be an opening of any sort.

With soft, regal steps, Gwen de Lire made her way up the spiral stairs, completely unimpeded by the traps that had left permanent holes in so many other visitors to the tower. Her footsteps echoed, a sound that was also unique to her. Any sounds that the others had made would have been drowned by the background noise of flying arrows, demon attacks and screams of pure pain.

After ten floors, Gwen de Lire stopped in front of another steel door and repeated the procedure that she had gone through with the first one. This one opened up just as easily, and Gwen de Lire leveled her gaze into the room, at the small golden chain necklace and the tiny full moon it held, the one that could change the fate of all three worlds with nothing more than a little energy.

Gwen de Lire stepped up to the pedestal and looked down at her prize possession. It really was quite lovely, simple but glowing with power just under the surface. It was no wonder that so many had risked their lives for the little jewel. She reached out a hand and touched the silver moon, shining softly and in stark contrast to the pure gold of the chain.

A strand of power eased from her to the necklace, and the moon turned bright purple before cooling to a lighter, but still very intense shade. Without a change in expression, Gwen de Lire reached out, picked up the chain and put it on.

_Now. Let's go to war._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Use Keun?" Lance frowned and pulled his prize closer to his body. She was remarkably cold, almost as if she was a reptile trying to conserve heat. Her face was placid, though her arms were wrapped loosely around his neck in an intimate fashion. "The general wants me to use Keun?"<p>

"She said that it might be best," The demon replied. She tried to keep her eyes on Lance, but found it hard to not look at the human that Lance was holding in his lap. The phrases that had been repeated over and over again since she had joined echoed in her mind. _Humans are evil._ So it confused her that the second-in-command was canoodling up to one.

Lance considered the thought momentarily.

He certainly understood Gwen de Lire's reasoning. Riko or Keun, whatever one wanted to call her, was not only quite strong, from both what they had seen and the stories they had heard from before, but she had also had previous connections with Spirit World, tenuous as those might be at the moment.

_A healer, I believe it was,_ Lance thought.

That made the situation more complex. Healers were often more embedded into a world's nature than fighters. Fighters could be seen as brash and not always on one's side, but when someone saved your life… well, it could be very hard to fight them, and from what he had heard, Riko had been quite a competent healer. Even if Koenma was angry at her, there was likely to be soldiers who held her in much higher esteem, who might not want to fight her with all their force.

Putting Riko out there would distract Spirit World, give them more time, make them hesitate and bring up their advantage.

Of course, there was always the downside that Riko might not have been as active as the stories said and that Koenma's current feud with her might outweigh any affection that he had previously held for her, meaning that she was likely to be taken down quicker than normal, removing the advantage that her connections might hold and risking a valuable pawn as well.

Absently, Lance slipped his hand down to take one of Riko's, lifting it to his face. It was frigid to the touch, slender and unusually small, as if it belonged to a child.

"No, I don't think that would be the best idea… Not yet, at least. It's much too risky," Lance replied. He slid his hands to Riko's waist and lifted her off his lap as he raised himself to his feet. "I have another idea. Inform the general that I'll be pulling out the spy. We'll see if she has value as a bargaining chip." He turned Riko to face him and stroked her cheek gently, gazing at her.

With a nod, the demon bowed and walked towards the door. She hesitated right before she stepped out, looking back at Lance who was now holding both of Riko's wrists and moving them as if she was a human puppet – which essentially she was. Shaking her head mentally, the demon exited.

"Judgmental one, wasn't she?" Lance murmured. He pulled one of Riko's hands to his face and kissed her fingertips very lightly, a teasing tickle. "I bet she'll gossip, complain to the others, probably to Gwen as well, and then, it'll become a problem." He looked at Riko and smiled. "Not for you though, my pet. Don't worry. I plan on keeping you well and safe if at all possible until this thing is done. I'm looking forward to wooing you. Most of the others have been so boring. No one can keep up with me."

Riko's fingers twitched, almost on reflex, and Lance stroked them absently.

"Tedious, all of them, even Gwen. Oh, but don't get me wrong," Lance added, talking as if Riko was conscious and could actually understand him. "I would give anything for Gwen. I would follow her into Hell and Heaven, wherever it is that she chooses to go, but she is most certainly not the one for me. Too driven. Not carefree enough, not spiced enough… No, Gwen's not for me." Lance blinked at Riko. "I've heard such great stories about you, most of them true, from what I've seen. I hope you won't disappoint when I take my spell off you."

He smiled. "Of course, you might just try to kill me. That wouldn't be so great, now, would it? But then, I don't normally lose fights, and it certainly will give you some spice." He leaned forward, so that he could almost touch Riko's lips with his, but leaned back at the last moment. "Yes, lots of spice. That's why I chose you – well, technically, you came to me, didn't you? But I'd like to think that I chose you. I was certainly going to seek you out after the war, if you were still alive.

"It might confuse you, rationally, of course. You are a human, and Gwen – well, she certainly doesn't have a great affection for humans. She won't be happy that I chose one to be my next partner. She loathes humans. But me… well, let's just say that I'm not all that picky."

Lance gazed into Riko's golden eyes, which seemed almost to glow as he looked at them and then smiled. "I'll tell you all this again. When you're conscious. Before I kill you." He gave her a kiss on the forehead and then turned. With one hand, he took one of Riko's and began to lead her towards the door. "Now, come, my pet. We're going to go see if our secret weapon has any effect on the idiots out there."

They walked, hand in hand, out of the room, into public eye. The demons tried their best not to stare as the two passed, but Lance was fairly certain that the whispers were beginning already. After the Wadoshi Games, Riko's face, not just Keun's, was becoming more well-known. They recognized her and wondered what their colonel was doing, holding hands with her.

* * *

><p>"Touya." Jin's voice was very, very soft, and his lips didn't move at all. "<em>She's<em> here."

Touya waited for a moment and then turned. His eyes scanned the crowd, before falling on the tall figure splitting the crowd with ease and then, after a moment, to the slight figure he was leading through the crowd. His eyes widened. _Riko._ He looked away. "We did warn them."

"Seems like it didn't come in time, eh?" Jin replied. He played with a flurry of breezes, little sparks starting around him. "Shame. I would have thought the girl'd be better than that. She doesn't seem like the type to be captured so easily." He dissipated the sparks and then looked at Touya. Softly, he asked, "You reckon we oughta leave? Koenma's outside."

"We should find out the plans first," Touya said back. He turned and lifted his glass of water. It shook slightly in his hand, though whether it was from fear or something else, he had no idea.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Their footsteps echoed as they walked down the stone steps. Riko stumbled a few times, but each time, Lance caught her before she could fall. "Careful, pet," He murmured, "It's quite dark down here, but I think that you'll enjoy it. You get to see the others."<p>

Riko blinked at him, eyes completely vacant.

He smiled coldly and then stepped off the stairs, onto smooth floor. A few more steps, and bars were visible – black, iron bars that covered a large cell, filled with humans.

End of Chapter 70

* * *

><p>Yay. Reached 70. Really never thought I'd make it to this point, but so glad that I did, and of course, that I'm going to keep going. Love to all.<p> 


	71. Chapter 71

**A/N: **Whoops. Forgot it was Hell Week for Drama, which is why this chapter is a bit late. **bow** I apologize.

**Upload Date:** 4/13/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 71

_Tap, tap, tap –_

The sound would have been annoying, had it not mostly been muffled by Koenma's shirt, as he tapped away with one finger on the other arm. Half an hour had already passed, and there was no response. His soldiers were still at the ready, but the 'front guard' was a little less prepared.

Both Yusuke and Kurama had taken a seat on the ground and were talking quietly. Rinku and Chu were sitting close to them, Chu drinking quietly, as Rinku played silently with his yo-yos. Hiei and Kuwabara were still staring at the castle, backs straight, battle scowl intact and ready to go. They had hardly budged upon arrival, a wonder that Koenma would have marveled at had it been a different time.

It was easy to guess Kuwabara's reasoning. His sister was in the castle, maybe alive, maybe dead, but either way, invading or otherwise getting into the castle would be the only way that he would ever find out and, hopefully, rescue her.

Hiei was a bit harder to explain. Koenma suspected that he was actually looking forward to the fight that would no doubt be coming, but there seemed to be something more underneath all that as well. Perhaps it was excitement to finally meet Gwen or some vengeance for the telepathic attack that her and her subordinates had inflicted upon him. Perhaps it was even out of concern for Riko or, more likely, eagerness to meet the person who had managed to capture her.

_A battle of the telepaths. That won't end well._

But really, in a situation like this, what would?

"Koenma," Kurama murmured. He got to his feet, gesturing at Yusuke to do the same. Rinku rose as well, though Chu remained seated. Kurama pointed up at the top of the castle walls, where a figure could be seen.

It was a tall demon, very handsome, with dark hair. He looked down upon the soldiers for a moment and then leapt lightly down from the walls, landing heavily, but with no indication that he was in any pain. After dusting himself off in the most casual manner possible, he began to make his way closer to the army that was gathered outside the walls.

As he came, Koenma recognized his face. "Lance de Grench," He said softly, so that only the front guard could hear. Turning his head slightly, he told the commander of his Spirit World army. "Be on guard. But no fire until I give the word."

* * *

><p>Lance's gait was easy and light, as if he was out for a simple stroll after a late dinner. He stopped just a few meters away from them and bowed. No one else moved. He looked up at them and then shook his head. "No politeness? I would expect better from you Spirit World lot. You fuss about rules and laws, and yet you can't even muster a common greeting?"<p>

"What do you want?" Koenma snapped. "We are not here to play games."

"Neither are we," Lance countered. "We know exactly what we want. Do you?"

Koenma clenched his jaw and then forced himself to reply, "We know that we'd rather not get into a war. Surrender now, and we will not press too many charges."

"Aw, but why would we do that when we have all the advantages?" Lance cooed. "I mean, this little army you put together… how much notice did you have? A week? Probably less. We've been preparing for… years. We have strong fighters, fighters who will tear every little soldier that you have into the tiniest shreds possible." He grinned coldly. "And all that without even using our prize. You know, of course, that we have the Sanguine Necklace, don't you? Gwen dear can beat anyone with that necklace, and you know it."

"I do not," Koenma replied coldly. "We have the best fighters in the world."

"Maybe," Lance shot back immediately. "But we have humans to use and kill, as I'm sure you've been informed. Will you attack us and hurt us knowing that, in order to heal ourselves, we will use the humans that you've spent so much time and energy trying to protect?"

The question was one that Koenma knew that he'd have to face eventually and one that he still wasn't sure of the answer to.

Luckily for him, his front guard was more than willing to talk.

"There is no need for this," Kurama cut in smoothly. "We came here in hope of peace."

"And that's why you brought the army?" Lance interjected.

Continuing as if he'd heard nothing, Kurama said, "We understand that you have demands. It would be better to negotiate on these than to risk lives in a pointless battle. Demon World and Spirit World have always had their disagreements –"

"And we've always gone into 'talks'," Lance said back, "Look at where that's gotten us. Locked out of the Human World, forced to suffer here when we could rule there."

Hiei let out a snort.

Lance's eyes flicked over to him, and then, over to Chu and Rinku, smiling absently. "Demons. Fighting for the sake of Spirit World and humans." He shook his head. "Gwen would hate you two so much. Traitors to our race." He lifted an eyebrow. "Doesn't it shame you to know that you've betrayed the people to whom you owe the most loyalty?"

Kurama's eyes flashed, but he replied coolly, "No."

"Not really," Chu said casually, half-drunk.

"We're not on your side," Rinku snapped, glaring childishly.

"I've said this before, but loyalty is for the weak. We fight because we want to, not because of some abstract emotion that tells us that we should," Hiei said.

Despite the situation, Yusuke had to smile a bit. It was so like Hiei. "Gee, thanks," Yusuke muttered under his breath. "You'd think that after surviving death together about a million times you'd have grown more attached to us."

Hiei glared at his teammate.

The remark brought Lance's attention to Yusuke now.

"Well, this is more natural," He said. "Humans fighting for humans. Of course, Gwen would probably say that it's unnatural as well." He shrugged. "Humans are so weak, it's rare to ever see them fight."

"Well, congrats!" Yusuke said, cracking his knuckles loudly. "You're going to get the chance now."

Casually, Lance shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I'm not really interested in fighting any of you. That's Gwen's job and the others who believe that what we're doing is perfect and right."

"You don't believe?" Kuwabara asked. It was the first thing he had said in quite a while, and his voice was a bit hoarse coming out.

Turning to him, Lance shrugged his shoulders. "Not really.

"Then why are you doing this?" Kuwabara's voice was very soft, much too controlled. It made even Yusuke a bit nervous. "Why if you don't believe?"

"Because it's Gwen," Lance replied. "It's not my area, all that philosophy and world view and such. But if Gwen wishes to believe it, I will support her until the end of my days. She knows that. She doesn't require belief in her followers, only dedication and a willingness to fight." He paused and looked Kuwabara up and down, frowning. "You know, you look kind of familiar."

There was a pause and then Kuwabara flinched and orange energy flamed up around him.

"Kuwabara?" Kurama asked, concerned.

"Man, what's up?" Yusuke hissed. "You alright?"

"Don't be so dramatic," Lance scolded mockingly. "I was just looking into your mind." He smiled. "That was good though. I'm glad. This is going to work so much better than I hoped. I knew that you looked familiar." Lance's smile widened. "That girl, the one that we brought in – the spy – she's your sister, isn't she?"

Dead silence wouldn't have been an appropriate term for the quiet that followed. The dead always had maggots and flies buzzing around them, animals feasting at their flesh, mourners coming to cry – dead silence was hardly quiet at all. No, this silence was the kind that came centuries afterwards, when all that was left in the coffin was bones, and the memory of one's name had disappeared so long ago that it was not 'almost as if it had never existed'. For all intents and purposes, it had never existed.

"Where is she?" Kuwabara's voice was soft, so soft as to almost be unheard. It sent a shiver down the backs of the troops who did hear him and down his own teammates.

Lance didn't blink an eyelash, but then, very little moved him. "She is in the dungeon." His voice, in comparison to Kuwabara's was light and easygoing. "And don't worry. She's still alive. We haven't hurt her. Any of them." That was directed towards Koenma. "They've been fed and clothed – everything they need. For the moment. Until we get down to business."

Rinku glanced at Kuwabara. The orange-haired human's face was almost expressionless, but it was easy to see from the way his hands were almost shaking from the force with which he had closed them that he was right on the edge.

"Let me show you. I think you'll be glad to see this."

Holding out his hand, Lance let black sparks escape into the air and dance to the side of his body. They swirled in a large oval shape, almost like a portrait frame. Gradually, the air inside the outline drawn by his energy began clear and then colored with a new light.

It was a dungeon scene, bars in front of a large cage-like room with humans lying around, sleeping, sitting, some talking, but worry on almost every face.

"They're all spiritually aware, very spiritually aware," Lance said. He glanced at Kuwabara, who had his eyes glued to the vision, searching frantically from side to side. "Untrained, all of them, aside from some mild meditation. Nothing to really hone their power. But then, that's probably for the best. They can't fight back this way, and all we really need from them is their energy." He dropped his hand. The oval window remained in the air, but a veil of black fell over it, forcing Kuwabara to look back at Lance.

The demon was smiling. "The procedure – Gwen came up with it, but I'm the one who will be putting it into action. As I'm sure you know, it is possible to use someone else's spirit energy. Most of the time, it is necessary to have them willing to do such a thing, but with my powers, that's not difficult. The humans are divided into two groups. One of these groups will go to powering the Sanguine Necklace." He paused, his thoughts drifting to Gwen. _ I wonder if she has it already._ "So that Gwen doesn't have to expend her own energy. And the other group will go to powering the army."

There was something like anger boiling off Kuwabara, but colder, very, very cold, pure rage, but in the form of ice instead of fire.

Lance ignored it and kept on speaking as if nothing particularly interesting was happening. The others in the group were getting unsettled. Koenma was trying to keep calm, but it looked bleak, the situation did, indeed, and what was he to do? What decision could he make? There was only one, but this wasn't really a choice. No matter what he did, deaths would come, and he would have been the one to give the orders that caused them.

"What's going to happen is that every single time that one of you lands an attack on one of us, that demon will be healed immediately, and the attack, the damage, will instead go to one of the humans. This will continue until they die. Of course, there are a lot more of us than there are of them, so they'll probably die fairly quickly, but they do give us a few hundred more lives." Lance smiled, a real smile, not fake in the slightest, and the fact that it was real made it a thousand times for threatening. "That's the fate in store for them."

He nodded at the oval window and lifted his hand. The black veil lifted, allowing a clearer view. Eyes returned to the portrait, Kuwabara's the most desperate of all, searching for the one person in that crowd who really mattered to him.

"Looking for your sister?" Lance asked. "Here, I'll help you." He sent another set of sparks at the window, and the image got brighter. "Hey!" He called.

The humans in the prison started and looked around.

"It's Lance!" Lance called in a sing-song voice. "Where's the new girl?"

Muffled sounds and movements – fearful whispers – and then, a semi-tall figure stepped forth, long, light brown hair hanging over her shoulders.

Shizuru.

A mix of relief and new worry flooded Kuwabara. She was alive, his sister, maybe still trapped, but really still alive and still unharmed – and she would stay that way. He would guarantee it.

"Watch her," Lance said softly, keeping his voice low so that only those on his side of the window could hear it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife.

Carefully, he held up his hand and showed it to the crowd, like a magician before a trick. With one deft motion, he cut the skin on the back of his hand.

In the oval window, Shizuru jumped and looked at her hand.

There was a cut on the back of it, long and thin.

End of Chapter 71

* * *

><p>Hurrah.<p> 


	72. Chapter 72

**A/N: **...I was lazy, which is why this is late. I kind of apologize, but I'm too lazy. xD Jk. I'll try to be more diligent, but as everything in the school year begins to end, all my work ethic is flying out the window. Still, I'll try hard. Enjoy!

**Upload Date:** 4/22/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 72

Fear is like stinging needles against the skin, terribly painful and yet, after a while, completely numbing. It takes away one's ability to speak, to think and to act. It is, without a doubt, the most powerful paralytic in the world, more so than any drug ever invented.

And yet, it is also one of the greatest stimulants in the world.

What gives mothers the ability to lift trees off their children? Fear. What gives soldiers the ability to fight through pain and suffering in order to survive another day? Fear. What makes children eat their vegetables and study hard? Fear. What makes adults work and work and work until it feels like death is hovering right over them and yet they still don't stop? Fear.

Kuwabara stared at his sister in the oval window. She was looking at her wound, frowning, confused by the cut, which to her, had appeared out of nowhere.

"Your brother is here," Lance said.

Shizuru looked up and around again. "Where are you?" She asked, her own voice remarkably calm. "Kazuma?"

"Shizuru," Kuwabara croaked.

"We can see you," Lance said. "You can't see us. He's here though, him and a bunch of his friends, all with an army that's supposed to match ours. They've come to stop our little games, you know the ones. I told you about it, about how we're going to take down Spirit World and place demons back into the forefront as they have always deserved to be?"

Coolly, Shizuru replied, "Yes. I remember."

"And now, I'm just demonstrating what we can do here, what we will do when the attack begins, because I have no doubt that it will begin." Lance looked at Koenma and then at Kuwabara, who was still watching Shizuru. "Your boss isn't going to sacrifice an entire world for a few hundred humans. He's going to let these die so that he can take down us and save the rest. But I doubt that you care about the rest, do you? You care about this one. This human, you have a special connection to. So, I'll give you the choice. Convince them to back down, and we won't hurt anyone. We won't have to."

There was no reply.

"Or," Lance let his voice drop in volume. "You could just join us yourselves, if you think that you can't persuade them. Join us yourselves and fight for your sister's life with your own hands."

"That's enough!" Koenma snapped, stepping forward. "We do not need any of your mind tricks."

Lance stepped back innocently. "Mind tricks? Whatever do you mean?" He flicked a black spark upwards. "Do you mean my telepathic powers? I'm not using any on you guys. I don't have to. It's quite easy to see that you're already struggling. But coming back to that point, that reminds me." He looked around the group. "Which one of you is the telepath? Gwen wants to meet you."

"Meet?" It was Kurama who answered, voice guarded. Hiei, by his side, said nothing.

"Gwen likes telepaths. Is it you? You're very pretty." Lance looked Kurama up and down rather bluntly. "Are you a good lover? Gwen's not looking for one, but I like to set her up. It's always amusing. You don't look much like a telepath – or for that matter, like a demon either. I see you're a demon. I can feel it, but your appearance is strange. Why do you resemble one of their kind so much?" He nodded his head at Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"This is the form I've chosen for the moment," Kurama replied, neglecting to mention the fact that at the moment, he was still not strong enough to return to his original demon form.

Raising an eyebrow, Lance shook his head. "Gwen won't like that. Too bad. You might have made good company. Ah well. Back to the matter at hand." He looked at Koenma. "The choice is yours, Lord Koenma. Will you withdraw and let us go about our business, or will you fight us knowing that humans will scream for each wound you inflict upon our army?" He nodded towards the window, at Shizuru. "And who knows? This one might just be the first victim." He looked at Kuwabara, something like a sneer playing across his face. "Wouldn't that be just wonderful?"

"We're not going to let you hurt anyone," Yusuke snarled. Blue fire licked at the edges of his body, and he pointed a finger at Lance.

The demon glanced at him. "Really? So you're just going to surrender?"

"Never!"

"Then you're going to betray the poor humans who have put so much hope onto you?" Lance directed his words at Kuwabara. "Betray your sister?"

Koenma looked at Kuwabara. He was still looking at the oval window. Shizuru was at the bars, gripping one of them, looking out blindly. She could hear them speaking, but nothing was visible to her. It was oddly unsettling. Everything hinged on Kuwabara at the moment. She couldn't let him sacrifice everything for her.

She began to speak, "Kazuma –" but before anything more than his name, soft on her lips, came out, he spoke.

"It's not betrayal."

Lance frowned. His eyes shifted from side to side, and then he asked, "What?"

Kuwabara lifted his eyes from the window at last and looked at Lance. His brown eyes were blazing, a strange look for someone who had been in what had seemed to be the depths of despair just a few moments before. Koenma was looking at Kuwabara with some strange hope in his eyes, and Shizuru had pressed herself even closer to the bars, straining her ears to catch every word.

"It's not betrayal," Kuwabara repeated. "If I choose to fight instead of surrendering to rescue them. That's not betrayal. My sister – Shizuru – she knows what's happening. She knows what's going on. She choose to go and confront that demon of yours so that she could get more information. She wants to stop you just as much as we do. That's why she went so far. That's why she put herself into so much danger."

Yusuke was starting to grin, cracking his knuckles in delight. A similar effect was coming over the others. Their backs grew straighter, prouder, and their heads lifted in the air, each gaze staring intensely at the representative for Gwen de Lire.

His face hadn't changed in the slightest, though he did seem to be listening intentionally.

"So, it's not betrayal," Kuwabara concluded. "If I choose to fight, I'll be doing as she wanted. I'll be doing the right thing." He followed Yusuke's example and cracked his knuckles. Orange spirit fire leapt up around his hands, solidifying into a sword, flames running up and down its edges. "And I think it's our time to give you a warning." He looked at Yusuke and grinned. "Right, Urameshi?"

Yusuke grinned back. "That's right," He answered.

They both looked at Lance.

"Let's turn the tables a bit," Yusuke said. He lifted a hand, blue fire gathering in the tip of his index finger.

"It's your turn now," Kuwabara continued. "You can't hide behind a bunch of humans."

And, in a delightfully evil tenor, Yusuke sang, "We're going to destroy you."

Lance met their eyes and then flicked his gaze around to the others in the circle. They had all raised their hands as well. Chu was chugging down alcohol with a casual speed that implied he was planning on doing some real drunken damage in a few minutes. Kurama was holding a rose in one hand and glowing slightly with power. Hiei's sword was in his hand, and Rinku's yo-yos were doing an 'around the world' around the entire group.

Koenma looked at his vanguard as well and could not help but beam at the sight of them, strong and ready for anything that the world threw at them. _They've really grown._ His eyes leapt from member to member, resting on each for just a brief moment. _All of them._

* * *

><p>On the other side of the viewing window, Shizuru's grip on the iron bar had loosened. Her head had dropped a bit, and her hair was covering most of her face.<p>

One of the other prisoners crept up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Shizuru?" She asked. "Are you alright?"

Shizuru turned her head to look at the middle-aged woman. She was smiling, a glorious smile that seemed to be made of the sun's rays itself. "I'm fine," She murmured, voice soft, but brilliantly happy. "Completely fine. I just…" She looked out the bars again, at the spot where she imagined Lance's viewing platform was coming from. "I'm proud of him. Baby brother… you've grown up."

* * *

><p>Kuwabara grinned back at the image, though he knew Shizuru couldn't see him. Something in his chest loosened. His sister approved. It was going to be alright.<p>

Lance didn't have quite the same feelings. There was some very mild irritation in him, though it faded fast. Lance wasn't one to get angry or stay angry for that matter. It wasn't as if this had been his only trick. He had other things to try, things that would definitely draw out more entertaining results. Mentally, he sent a strand of his power back into the castle.

Lifting a hand, he banished the viewing portal, leaving thin air in its place. The action drew Kuwabara's gaze and the gaze of the rest of the vanguard back to him. He gave them a cheerful salute.

"Very well. Then you choose to fight."

"We do," Koenma replied.

"And we're going to crush you," Yusuke added.

Looking at him, Lance nodded. "I'm sure that you'll try very hard to do so. Why don't we get started right away? Ah –" He put up a hand against the sudden rise of spirit energies. "Not by an all-out battle, I mean. I was thinking something a bit smaller. Something more intimate. One on one, perhaps?"

"Why would we agree to that?" Koenma asked, suspicious.

"Easy," Lance replied. "If we start out this way, we won't use the humans. They won't be killed until later. And it's a good testing ground to see just how far apart the skills of our two armies are. Should be educational for the both of us and our people."

Very slowly, Koenma's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to stall?"

"No," Lance said with a laugh. "We don't need to stall. We've been preparing for _years_. We're more than ready to take on this ragtag team that you've put together in a week's time. But I think that this will be more interesting, and interesting always takes precedent over everything else." He paused and looked around. "Oh. She's almost here. This should be good."

"Here? Who? Gwen de Lire?"

Another laugh, this one full of even more derision. "Not even close. Gwen's not going to come out until we need her – which we won't. No, I mean, your opponent for this battle, this first battle to begin the final war between the Spirit World and the Demon World."

_She. A 'she' who isn't Gwen de Lire._ Something inside Koenma began to beat in agitation, though his brain had yet to realize what exactly he was talking about.

"Ah. Look." Lance pointed, with one long finger, up at the walls of the castle.

There was a diminutive form standing at the top. It was hard to make out any features from the distance, except that it was a girl, medium height, dressed completely in black, tight-fitting clothes. She had cropped short hair that almost made her look like a guy, but the lack of muscle and the slender build said differently.

Koenma's throat went dry. _No._

Chu and Rinku blinked and squinted, wondering what they were seeing.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were doing much the same, rather confused.

Hiei's grip had tightened on his sword handle, and Kurama was coming dangerously close to crushing the rose in his hand. They knew.

_It can't be._

"Come down, my dear," Lance called. He held out his hand. A pool of dark fire left his palm and skated up, diagonally to the girl, wrapping itself around her. She didn't resist as it slowly pulled her towards Lance, eventually dropping her lightly right before him.

It was impossible to mistake her now – that purple hair, so heavily tinted with gray that it gave off a dull silver sheen, those brown-gold eyes, almost glowing, that delicately made face, so fragile for someone who had such a reputation for mischief.

And those gloves, layered, rough on the outside to inflict ripping pain to any that she hit.

Koenma took a breath in.

"Riko."

End of Chapter 72

* * *

><p>~.~ Hopefully you liked it. Either way, cheers.<p> 


	73. Chapter 73

**A/N: **Exams coming. Wooo...

**Upload Date:** 4/30/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 73

He had suspected it of course. Gwen de Lire was collecting humans with spiritual energy after all. How could he expect her not to use a human who actually had enough spirit energy that they could really use it? Still, this hadn't been what he had thought would happen. He thought that she would just be another reservoir. But here she was, standing before him, dressed in her combat clothing, eyes vacant to a degree that told him that her will was no longer her own.

"Riko," He whispered.

"I prefer Keun," Lance remarked. He put an arm around Riko and pulled her closer to him.

"Riko!" Yusuke yelped, surprised. "What the hell?! Riko -" He marched up to Lance and reached out a hand for Riko, preparing to shake her for all she was worth.

Lance put up a hand, blocking Yusuke. "No. She's mine now."

Yusuke glared. "Yours? What? No, don't be stupid. Riko's would never go with you guys. Tell him, Riko."

Riko blinked at him with dull, uncomprehending eyes.

"You're misunderstanding. I'm not saying that she joined us," Lance held up his hand and black sparks played around Riko's form. "I'm saying that she's under my control. She belongs to us now, just like your sister," He directed the words towards Kuwabara, "And all those other humans. She is another pawn for us to use. Another pawn in this battle."

"Battle?"

"Our little test," Lance replied. "Riko will be our representative. Send forth yours, and let's begin."

"…Why should we agree to this?" Koenma's voice was rigid, hard as he glared at Lance. "We could just attack right now."

Nodding in agreement, Lance said, "You could. But either way, the first line of defense is going to be this girl." He smiled angelically. "So you can either all kill her as a group or as a bunch of individuals. Oh, and don't think that you can capture her or anything like that. She's programmed to turn her power on herself and die if she gets taken in by you lot." Leaning forward, he continued, "And I understand that given prior to this, she had already quit your team, Koenma, but surely you must have some affection left for the girl. Do you want her to be trampled? Or to die a warrior's death?"

Koenma stared at Riko, who stared back. His mind was racing. Riko, one of his employees and more than that, someone that he held a personal affection for as exasperating as she was – how could he order his soldiers to kill her?

_She's just one life._ He had already determined to give up over a hundred human lives. _What's another?_

As he frantically leapt between possibilities, Lance looked down at his prize. An idea sparked in his mind, something to taunt them a little, show them just how much Riko belonged to him now.

With his other hand, the one that wasn't already around her shoulders, Lance reached over and grabbed Riko's jaw. He tilted it towards himself and then leaned down. There was a brief moment while he hovered over her lips – he could almost feel the shock beginning to build – and then he pushed just a bit further, and their lips touched. It was light, innocent. Lance drew back a bit and then went down again, opening Riko's lips with his tongue.

A blade appeared next to his cheekbone. Lance opened one eye to look at it and then turned his head, leaving Riko to look at the offender.

"Enough," Hiei snarled. His katana split the space between Lance and Riko quite evenly. "I am not here to see you and your disgusting acts of supposed affection. I am here to fight. If it's a one-on-one battle that you want, I will be her opponent."

Lance didn't reply for a few seconds of silence. Instead, he regarded the shorter demon. He hadn't really taken much note of him before, except in mild scorn that a demon would fight with Spirit World, but now… The anger, the disgust that he read from the crimson eyed demon intrigued him. There was a certain aura coming off his body, one that he recognized.

_He's the telepath, not the redhead._ Lance looked Hiei up and down and then smiled. "Very well. Go, my dear. He wishes death to be his calling. Send him to it." He pulled a knife from his boot, sliced a cut on the inside of Riko's wrist and then stepped to the side, allowing Riko to stand, rather loosely, on her own.

There was a moment as everyone instinctively backed up, allowing a large, clear space for Riko and Hiei to stand. Neither of them moved during that time frame. Hiei's eyes were fixed on Riko, but her eyes drifted with no real sense of purpose.

To counteract her facial expression however, purple sparks were beginning to float around Riko. It was a sight that only served to irritate Hiei more, reminding him of the sparks inside his own body that matched that color. He gritted his teeth, unsure how to feel.

Irritated, to be sure, that they were even in this situation. How could the girl be so weak as to let herself get caught and enchanted? Angry that they were being played with by this other telepath. Mildly intrigued that he'd get to fight Riko. More anger that he couldn't seem to get through Riko's shell.

He had been trying since she had appeared, but there was a strong force blocking him from entering. Riko's mind was closed off to him, testifying to the power of Lance's enchantments, but then, he'd already known that. After all, he had been the one to set up the attack redirection plan. He would have to be strong to have accomplished something like that.

_But to think that I can't get through._ Hiei resisted the urge to grind his teeth. The irritation was coursing through him. The initial thought that had come up upon seeing Riko in Lance's control – _How dare he. She is mine. Mine to control. Not his. –_ was becoming more and more powerful with each passing moment.

Riko's skin was laced in a very thin network of purple strings. They ran towards the cut, feeding on the blood, which was leaking all over her gloves. They swam, and then blackness appeared, tracing and spiraling its way around her body. Within a minute, the figure facing Hiei was cloaked in the markings that had made her so famous as Keun.

"So you're serious," Hiei murmured. "You're really going to fight?" He drew his sword back and then ran towards Riko. "Are you so weak?" He snapped when he reached her. He stabbed at her. Riko dodged and blocked simultaneously, the blow glancing off her gloves. "Is your mind so pliable that just anyone can reach in and control it?"

He swung again, and again, Riko dodged, this time managing to get away completely. She darted around back to Hiei and punched. Hiei dodged easily, but Riko kept going, punching and kicking relentlessly.

"I thought you were stronger than that!" Hiei snapped as he leapt backwards. "I thought you were _more qualified_ than either Kurama or I for this mission. Isn't that what you said? Look at how the proud Keun has fallen, fighting under the control of someone else. Is this really all you have?!"

* * *

><p>"What's going on?" Rinku asked, confused. "I thought Hiei was a lot stronger than that. Why doesn't he use that thing that he did to Zeru? The whatsit. The dragon thing."<p>

"Ain't it obvious?" Chu muttered. "He don't wanna hurt Sheila."

Rinku stared at his partner. "What?"

Chu shook his head. "You'll understand when you get older."

Kurama watched the exchange in some amusement, but even that fairly lighthearted dialogue didn't do much to take his mind off the battle that was going on. It was clear from Hiei's actions that Chu's words were at least partially correct. Hiei outmatched Riko physically in almost every possible way. With the time that he had already been given, he should have landed at least a dozen hits on Riko, and yet, he had only attacked twice and was now letting himself be pushed backwards by attacks that might not even hurt him even if they did land.

If Kurama knew Hiei, and he was fairly certain that he did, the fire demon would be trying his absolute hardest to break into the spell that Lance had put on Riko. The fact that Riko wasn't already strolling over to them was proof that he was unable to, a fact that was probably driving him insane. Being strong meant everything to Hiei, and being unable to break a spell meant there was someone stronger than him.

* * *

><p>The anger was growing again, increasing ridiculously fast. "Is this all you have?" Hiei hissed. "What happened to the Keun that's killed hundreds just to get one set of antiques? Where's the Keun that there are legends about? How did you ever manage to rise so far if you're so weak?" He leapt backwards, further this time. "Take off the bindings, Keun. I don't want to fight a pathetic, chained creature. Break free and fight me."<p>

Of course, there was no answer. Riko just ran forward and kicked again, adding a few feints and double-hits in, almost scraping Hiei a few times, though never landing an actual blow. Her eyes followed Hiei's dodging with clear precision.

* * *

><p>"He's not going to be to kill her," Chu observed.<p>

Yusuke glanced at him. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It _is_ a bad thing, Yusuke," Koenma said quietly. "We have to win this war."

"Hiei's finally showing emotion. He's growing! Mentally, anyways." Yusuke replied. "And besides, this is _Riko!_"

Rigidly, Koenma replied, "I know it's Riko, and I'm glad that Hiei's growing, but I'm afraid this is the wrong time for that. Riko…" He took a breath. "Riko is our enemy right now."

Kuwabara looked at Koenma. An younger Kuwabara might have protested, might have spoken for Riko. A younger Yusuke might have done the same, but here, neither of them said anything. They knew that it was true. They couldn't deny it.

Neither could Kurama, he knew, and yet, there seemed to be something strange about the situation. _Well, of course there is. Our teammate has been turned and is now fighting against us._ But that wasn't the only thing. _You're imagining it. This is your mind making things up because you don't want to accept the truth._ Probably true, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was different about Riko.

It definitely was her. One of them would have noticed if she had been replaced by someone, but her actions were strange. The black tattoos that covered her seemed thinner than normal. They weren't as visible, and something about her movement, the way she attacked, the way her head turned… what was it?

Kurama stared at Riko, analyzing her movements. Her head kept turning, but then, Hiei was jumping all around, so it made sense. When one was fighting an opponent, one should always make it a point to keep one's eyes trained on said opponent –

_Eyes?_ Kurama's eyes widened as he realized what was wrong with the picture before him.

Riko's head kept moving, following Hiei as he dodged her attacks. In any normal fight, that would be considered normal, but Riko had a very special characteristic about her that made her fighting style abnormal.

_The marks control her body,_ Kurama remembered. _She can use them to manipulate herself. She can change almost everything. She can stop her heart._ And of course, the most important part of what he had learned about Riko and her Keun form. _And when she fights, she can't stand to look at the death she causes, so she shuts down her vision._

There were normally marks all over her body, especially over her face, but at the moment, it was actually possible to tell that the face beneath the marks was Riko's, without prior knowledge as to what she looked like in her Keun state. And instead of being wrapped tightly around her eyes, the strands of darkness just floated around her face, without much care at all, more like whiskers painted on than actual marks meant to protect both her body and her mind.

The thought flashed in Kurama's mind again, stronger than before now. _When she fights, she is blind._ He watched as Riko wiped sweat from her face, in the process rubbing her eye vigorously.

_But if that's true, then why can she see right now?_

End of Chapter 73

* * *

><p>Nomnom.<p> 


	74. Chapter 74

**A/N: **It's just amazing how exams can suck the life right out of you. =.= I'm so tired...

**Upload Date:** 5/8/13

**Next Upload Date:** In about a week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 74

_The problem_, Riko thought as she continued to pretend to attack Hiei, _is how to tell them that I'm not under his spell._

It was a problem because she couldn't do anything too forward, or Lance would notice, and Riko's ruse would be discovered. The best way to go about it would be to telepathically tell Hiei what was happening, but Riko knew that that was impossible. The same way she was keeping out of Lance's spell while pretending she was in it would also prevent her from contacting Hiei via his mind.

_So how do I do this… I have to get closer…_ Riko didn't exactly cherish the idea. Hiei was starting to give off tiny flames that scared her more than a bit. Death by fire was not her least favorite way to die, but it was definitely up there and certainly would not be a pleasant way to go.

She tried to make contact with Hiei's eyes, when her back was turned to Lance, but it seemed like Hiei wasn't trying very hard to see if there was anything weird about her. His anger seemed to have taken over most of him, which, on a side note, surprised her more than anything.

Why was he so angry? It didn't make sense. _Maybe he's jealous._ Riko smiled inwardly at the thought. _Well, a girl can hope._

* * *

><p><em>But how can she see now?<em>

There was only one answer to that question.

_She's not actually Keun._ Which, of course, could lead to only one conclusion.

_She's not under his spell._

A flood of emotions overcame Kurama, relief, chief among them. As much as he would like someday to test himself against Keun, there was no situation where he would like to actually be fighting Riko to the death. Following that came something like curiosity. Kurama was intrigued. How had she managed it? How was she managing it now? Lance seemed intelligent. It must have been hard to fool him, so how?

And more importantly, why was she doing it?

* * *

><p>…<em>Oh Hiei, you're a moron. Look at me!<em> Riko glared at Hiei as she turned her back to Lance. _Look!_

Her thoughts failed to reach Hiei, and she mentally rolled her eyes. _Another target then._ Riko leapt back a few meters and turned so that she was looking into the crowd of Spirit World soldiers who were gathered in a semicircle around them. In the back of her mind, Riko noted how many of them she had healed before, and then her eyes drifted over to the vanguard.

She shifted her position so that she could get a better look and yet at the same time, pretend that she was thinking about how to go after Hiei.

_Who would be best?_

That was an easy question to answer.

Riko's eyes drifted down the line until they found the redhead. Their eyes, one pair of green, one pair gold-brown, met briefly.

* * *

><p>Kurama met Riko's eyes and then, barely moving his head at all, nodded. It was a confirmation. There was life in Riko's eyes, life and spice and everything that made Riko the enjoyably annoying companion that she was. He hid a smile and then looked at Hiei. He would have to get the message to Hiei, and it would have to be done delicately to avoid Lance Grench noticing.<p>

"Hiei!" Kurama paused and then called again, "Hiei!"

"What?" Came the snarled reply.

Kurama stopped again and then – "Look at her!"

Hiei glanced away from Riko's deep golden brown eyes, turning his head until he met Kurama's. "What?"

Kurama looked at Hiei for a moment and then raised one eyebrow. He could feel Lance looking at him from thaae side, getting more and more suspicious with every passing moment. He'd have to throw Lance off. "Come on, Hiei," Kurama continued, his voice loud, carrying and casual. Koenma and Kuwabara were looking at him, too, as were Yusuke and Rinku. "Is this really all you have? When I met you, you were one of the strongest and most devious demons I had ever met. The Hiei back then wouldn't have hesitated to kill anyone, even a former companion."

The expression on Hiei's face was twisting as if the words he was hearing were too shocking to be comprehended.

"So _look at her_," Kurama repeated, emphasizing the words. "_Look at her_, and find her weakness. Keun is strong, but everyone has weaknesses. _Look at her_. You know her. Find what's wrong, and –" Kurama stopped, resisted the urge to look to the side and then finished, strong, "_Kill her_."

"What?" Yusuke stared at Kurama, who refused to turn his head to meet his eyes. "Kurama, what the hell?"

"Well, that wasn't something I was expecting," Chu murmured. He lifted his flask to his lips, supremely casual.

Rinku shivered. "Kurama's scary when he gets serious. I'm glad I didn't have to fight him."

"Kurama?" Kuwabara began and then stopped.

Koenma said nothing, just looked at Riko and steeled his face.

"Hiei, don't listen to Kurama. He's gone insane or something," Yusuke snapped. "Kurama, tell him. Take it back."

"I will not," Kurama replied calmly.

"What –"

"Urameshi," Kuwabara cut in, voice husky. "Urameshi, don't."

Yusuke stared at his fellow human, almost the only one on the field. "'Don't'? Don't what? Try to save Riko? Did you not just hear Kurama, you dickwad? He just told Hiei to kill Riko. I would have thought that out of anyone, you would have tried to stop this –"

"Yusuke," Kurama interrupted. He tilted his head to meet Yusuke's brown eyes. "Don't you trust me?" Yusuke opened his mouth. "Trust me. We are at war. This is for the best."

* * *

><p>Hiei had been taking Kurama's speech very seriously until he had gotten to the end. Until he had gotten to the 'kill' part. There was something strange about that phrase. Kurama was a sentimental person. He had stayed in the Human World for over sixteen years partly just so that he wouldn't have to leave his 'mother', an elderly human woman who wasn't even actually related to him. There was no way that Kurama would ever kill anyone who he still had relations with, and as Kurama had yet to renounce Riko in any way, he had to think that Kurama had left a message in his words.<p>

Didn't he?

_Am I being sentimental? Do I not want to kill her?_ Hiei regarded Riko's cold, expressionless face again. _That's impossible._

And besides, there were more important things to focus on.

What was Kurama referencing? If he didn't want Hiei to kill Riko, then what did he want? What was wrong with her? There didn't seem to be anything at all. She looked just as she always did when she went into fighting mode and transformed into Keun.

Or did she?

'You know her,' Kurama had said. So that meant that something had to be different. What was different?

Keun's body was laced with spirals, rather thin, like a colorful tattoo. Thin. Very thin. That was strange. They were usually very thick, so thick that it looked like there were spirals of pale skin rather than black ink. And there was something about her face…

_It's visible._

Her face was visible, recognizable as Riko. Every other time that she had been Keun, her face had been so covered in darkness that it had looked like she was wearing a mask. It was one of the reasons that it had taken Spirit World so long to figure out who she actually was. When she was Keun, it was almost impossible to see Riko under it all.

But right now, she was clearly Riko, the lines on her face just thin filaments that looked more decorative than actually useful. In fact, now that he took another look, every single fiber of black was thinner than normal.

_She's weak. Why? Why so weak?_ It was obvious. _She's been using her power_. That was the only explanation. Riko had horrible endurance. If she used her power over a long period of time, of course it would get weaker and weaker. But there was also something strange about that. If Riko used her full power, she couldn't have lasted over an hour, and knowing Riko, she would have kept her Keun mask on full-force until she fainted. She wouldn't keep on a weak visage.

_She's not really Keun right now. She's still Riko._ Still Riko despite Lance's orders for her to fight.

The corners of Hiei's mouth twitched and then stretched into the smallest smile possible. He glanced to the side at Kurama, who raised his eyebrows.

_She's not under Lance's control._ And he highly doubted that it was something that Lance knew about. No, Riko had somehow managed to trick Lance into thinking that he was controlling her while actually acting under her own powers.

"Keun," Lance called. "Keun, attack."

Riko leapt forward, but Hiei dodged easily now, the burden and weight of having to decide whether or not he wanted to really kill her having been lifted off his shoulders. As he darted backwards in a zig-zag pattern, Hiei kept wondering about the situation.

There had to be something more. After all, if all Riko had wanted was to not be under Lance's control, she could have easily dropped the charade the moment the Spirit World troops had arrived. The fact that she hadn't and the fact that she was still 'fighting' meant that there had to be something else.

Once again, Hiei prodded Riko's mind. There was nothing there, nothing but a dark solid patch of iron, keeping him from coming too close. He was repelled and quickly dropped the attempt. There were other ways to hear Riko's plan.

Hiei pushed himself backwards and flipped in mid-air, landing behind Riko. They were at least a hundred meters away from either Lance or the Spirit World group. Riko began to turn, but before she could, Hiei slid forward and kicked her legs out from under her with one foot. The girl fell heavily to the group, landing on her back with a thud that drove the breath from her lungs.

Quickly, before she could even think of recovering, Hiei jumped on top of her, pinning her arms down with his knees. With both hands, he drove the sword down into the dirt right next to Riko's cheek. The edge of the blade grazed the skin of her ear, and a drop of blood came out. Hiei smiled. More proof. Had she actually been Keun, the metal would have been repelled completely.

There was yelling from behind him. It sounded like Yusuke. Hiei's eyes flicked to the side and then back. Yusuke was being held back by Kurama and Kuwabara. The latter was rather surprising. He would have expected Kuwabara to be on Kurama's side, but then, the decision that he had made regarding his sister was somewhat similar to this situation.

_Strength_. Hiei made a soft "Hn" noise. _Whoever would have thought that the orange-headed giant would have obtained it._

Beneath him, Riko twitched, and Hiei's attention hurriedly returned to her. From his brief glance, he had seen that Lance was not at all moved by the pinning of his subordinate. _Of course not. She's just a pawn._

He looked into Riko's eyes, surrounded by thin, pale lashes and a distinct lack of dark lines, emphasized by her white skin. They were a deep, but light brown, like caramel melting in the sun. Her face was completely empty of all emotion.

Lowering his head so that it looked like he was in anguish over being unable to kill her –_ As if_, Hiei thought – Hiei made sure that his mouth was completely blocked by his katana and then, so soft that the words barely existed at all, he murmured, "Well?"

His breath tickled Riko's skin and sent goose bumps racing up her arms. There was a short moment when Hiei thought that he had been mistaken, thought that Riko was actually under Lance's control, and that he and Kurama had both made a mistake, but then –

Riko grinned, her face blocked both by the sword and Hiei's body, which he had tilted to shield her. The expression lit up her eyes, turning them into little miniature fires that seemed to reflect the red of Hiei's. The demon was so close that she could see her own reflection in his bright, clear eyes, see him reflected in the reflection of her eyes.

In a tone that was just as soft as his and ten times more mocking, Riko whispered back, "_Well?_" and then grinned again.

"Hi, Hiei."

End of Chapter 74

* * *

><p>...Sleepy...<p> 


	75. Chapter 75

**A/N: **Wow, this is quite late. I apologize. I had my last exam today, so hopefully, things will start rolling along again.

**Upload Date:** 5/21/13

**Next Upload Date:** Saturday, almost without a doubt. Maybe Sunday. xD

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 75

A chilling rush ran through Hiei, a feeling that was oddly reassuring. He crushed it quickly. "There's a demon over there who thinks that he's controlling you and manipulating me through emotion and who has already declared war. Do you really think that you have time to joke?"

"Oh. Good point. Fine." Riko attempted to sigh, but failed to draw in more than an adequate amount of breath with the fire-ice demon sitting on her chest. "Well, first thing's first. Shizuru and the other humans are trapped in an underground prison beneath the castle. You have to get them –" She flicked her eyes over to where the fighters were waiting impatiently. "- to go in and get them. Touya and Jin should be able to help if they're still in there. No one's going to be able to fight properly if they know that they're going to be killing innocent humans first."

Hiei snorted.

"Oh shut up," Riko snapped. "Not the time. Anyways. That's first. Send them off, and then we should probably move from this position before Lance gets suspicious."

She raised her eyebrow at Hiei, who scowled. "Don't get clever, human." He closed his eyes and then soft fire built beneath his white bandana, glowing slightly in the form of an almond-shaped third eye.

* * *

><p>Kurama wasn't quite sure what he expected Riko's plan to be. There had been a lot of possibilities swirling through his mind, but quite unfortunately, he had been unable to let any of them really stew once Yusuke had started really protesting.<p>

_At this rate,_ He thought as he pulled Yusuke back,_ we really are going to start killing within the group._ He squeezed Yusuke's shoulder until the boy turned to glare at him. "Yusuke." The tenor in his voice was smooth to the point of being flat. "Trust me. Have I ever let you down? _Trust me_."

Yusuke's first reaction was to stop moving entirely and then, with a growl, he shook off his assailants and stalked backwards, plopping himself down on the ground in the most casual gangster way possible.

_Kurama._

Kurama blinked and then realized where the thought had come from. _Hiei. Hello. What is it?_

_The humans are being kept in an underground prison beneath the castle. She wants you to send someone in to rescue them._

The information took a few moments to fully penetrate Kurama's mind, but once it did, his brain began to race, picking up and discarding plans left and right. _Very well. Go back to your fight. I shall take care of this._

_Hn. What a human. Risking her own life to save a group of people that she barely even knows. Such stupidity could only exist in a race that has decided that the best way to obtain resources and help survival would be to kill each other in massive quantities._

_Hm. Yes, well, some might call it nobility._

_Ridiculous_, came the quick reply, and then the presence of Hiei faded, leaving Kurama somewhere between bemused and amused.

_Time for that later._ Kurama glanced backwards, over his shoulder. Kuwabara was standing next to Koenma. Yusuke was sulking further away. Chu and Rinku still looked the most detached, but then, why shouldn't they? They had the least stake in the whole venture and were only there because they were getting paid and out of some respect for the team that had beaten them in the Wadoshi Games.

'_Beneath the castle'_, Hiei had said. Which meant that the rescuers couldn't afford to be human. Humans who were not in the cages would stand out far too much to risk it, and the last thing they needed was more prisoners to be used again them. Kurama looked at Yusuke and Kuwabara, grimaced and then slipped with barely a motion over to Chu and Rinku. He lowered himself quietly until he was at the same height as Chu, who was sitting casually.

"How ya doing, Kurama?" Chu asked. His voice and vowels were a bit slurred, but his eyes belied the drunken state. They were deep, gray blue and perfectly clear. He nodded at the stage. "Hiei's sure having a bit of trouble, ain't he? Wouldn't have expected that from someone as cold-blooded as him." He gave a little chortle. "Not after what he did to Zeru, eh?"

"Yes," Kurama said, smiling back faintly. "Hiei does tend to give off that impression." He motioned Rinku closer. "I have a job… favor to ask of you two, if you don't mind."

Chu gave a hiccup. "What do ya need?"

* * *

><p>"Okay, I'm going to flip you off now," Riko muttered. "Lift your legs a little, will you?"<p>

Scowling, Hiei shifted, and as he moved, Riko yanked her arms free and slashed at his face. The movement rustled his hair, and on instinct, Hiei threw himself backwards, rolling several times before pushing himself back into attack posture. The sword remained where it had been, sticking up out of the ground poignantly. Riko was getting up, though her body was much looser and almost reminiscent of Chu's drunken fighting style.

Her head lifted, her eyes emotionless again, and she ran towards Hiei, clearly back in full attack mode. Hiei blocked her kick.

"How long are you going to keep this charade up?"

"Until they get back, obviously," Riko replied.

"And you really think that you can do that?" Hiei asked. They disengaged, and then Riko came in for another blow, locking each other again. "You're not a fighter."

The vacantness in Riko's eyes was briefly replaced with a combination of pain and anger, but very quickly, it disappeared. "I know that. Not really the point."

They mock fought in silence for over a minute, during which Riko considered attempting to take Hiei's sword and threaten him with it as he had done to her so many times, but then, she had a feeling that that might just push Hiei to the edge and off it as far as actually fighting her went.

Hiei, on the other hand, was focused on something else entirely. He had probably seen it earlier, but it was only starting to dawn on him now. Riko was shaking, a weakness that only became visible in the brief moments that she stopped attacking or was recovering from blocking one of Hiei's blows.

"How long?"

Mentally, Riko allowed herself to feel some surprise at the question, but physically, nothing about her changed. "Ever since I got into the castle. Lance caught me when I got to the necklace, and… I couldn't beat him. He tried to control me, and so… I withdrew my normal Keun form until it was just around my head, under my hair, where he couldn't see it, and it repelled his power. He didn't notice. I mean, I didn't really expect him to. He has so many other people to enchant. It doesn't take that much power."

"Hn."

"_Hn_," Riko snapped back. "It's just been a long time, okay? I can do this."

More quiet passed. The Spirit World soldiers were beginning to grow restless, though this mood came out more as a faint dissipation of energy into the air. They were much too disciplined to actually let the restlessness show in their perfectly straight backs, high-held heads and uniform lines.

"Is it really worth risking time and energy over people that you don't know?"

"I did it for you guys when I first met you, didn't I?" Riko hissed back, more than a bit out of breath.

"It didn't make sense then either," Hiei replied. "If this is about redeeming yourself, it is impossible. Once you've taken a life, once you've committed a crime nothing you do can ever repair that action, no matter how much you try to convince yourself otherwise. It doesn't matter how long you work for Koenma. There are things in this world that cannot be taken back."

_No expression. No expression, Riko. In fact, it's probably better if you just shut your mouth and hum show tunes to yourself. It's healthier._ She couldn't stop her reply. "I know that. That's not why I'm doing it."

Silence.

"I am not going to ask why."

"Oh that breaks my heart," Riko retorted.

She punched at Hiei's head, a real punch, with anger and some force behind the blow, but Hiei blocked her easily and leapt back. He let his arms drop to his side, leaving his body loose for a moment, before turning and walking back to where his sword lay. He wrapped one cold hand around the hilt and pulled. It came from the ground easily, without a drop of dirt on it. Light, dimmed and scattered by the Demon World fog, caught the shine of the blade and turned it into a small beacon of death.

Hiei examined his sword and then, with it held loosely in his hand, started to walk towards Riko. When he was close enough to speak without anyone overhearing, he began.

"What you are doing is stupid." Riko mentally rolled her eyes. "And rather useless, given that Kuwabara already renounced his sister in order to fight, and she approved. You are wasting your power and energy on a task that is unnecessary."

"Yes, well –"

"I am not here to talk you out of it," Hiei interrupted. "That is Kurama's job, and I would _hate_ to deprive him of his beloved task." It was Hiei's turn to roll his eyes. "However, I have no reason to go along with it."

"What?" Riko struggled to keep her face under control, even though she could feel panic growing inside of her. "Hiei, I get that you hate humans, but come on. You're not this lame. I will kill you. I will boil you with orange sauce and eat you. Kuwabara and Yusuke will help me. Kurama probably will, too, and I can probably bribe Koenma into giving me some –"

"I'm not interested in your threats, even if you had the ability to carry them out." He was right in front of her now, the sword pointing at the ground still. "What you're doing is foolhardy and impractical and _selfish_. Do you really think that risking your own life to save someone else is the 'right' thing to do?" He shook his head. "What a typical human train of thought."

Riko's eyes were burning now, and she wanted to take a step back, but couldn't free herself from Hiei's gaze. "Hiei," She whispered softly.

"_Still,"_ The syllable was soft, "If nothing else, I will admit that the strength of your will and your beliefs, however idiotic they might be, is…" A breath escaped Hiei, and the bare edges of it touched Riko's face. "_Admirable_."

A smile flickered at the edges of the girl's mind.

Hiei lifted his sword, so that the blade caught the light again and glimmered beautifully, and then swung down and across his body.

The hilt of the blade hit Riko in the side of the head, and, in what seemed to be the slowest of all motion, her head was whipped to the side, her eyes rolled up into unconsciousness, and Riko's entire body went limp, collapsing onto the ground.

Not until Riko's eyes closed did Hiei's eyes leave hers. He continued to look down at her body, motionless, on the ground for another moment, before looking down on his sword. It was clean, almost entirely so, except for a small piece of rusty colored blood. Riko's blood from the cut on her ear – the only true wound that either of them had gotten in the fight.

He lifted his katana up and then wiped the blood off with a corner of his robe, sheathed the sword and turned, walking steadily down the empty space that had been created for he and Riko to fight in, until he stood in front of Lance Grench.

The other telepath smiled at him, his dark eyes lighting up with the expression. He was standing in the most laidback manner possible, weight propped mostly on one leg, and arms behind his head. "Well," He remarked. "That took much longer than I thought. Was it because you're really not as strong as you seem to think, or were you just held back by emotional attachment to the girl? I'd probably say the latter. After all, it doesn't seem like she's dead, and such an anticlimactic end to such a long and arduous fight? There has to be some sentiment there." Lance glanced over at Riko. "Real pity. I thought, with her powers, that she would actually win, or at least, harm you in some way."

He stretched and dropped his arms to his side, dark eyes tracking crimson ones.

"So. What now?"

Hiei examined the demon before him briefly. Much taller than him. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Dressed in dark clothes. It was a ridiculous overload of blackness, one that made him look both mysterious and very powerful. _He looks stupid,_ Hiei thought obstinately.

"Now," Hiei said, crimson irises flashing, "_We're_ going to fight."

End of Chapter 75

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	76. Chapter 76

**A/N: **Oh look at me, being all prompt and crap.

**Upload Date:** 5/25/13

**Next Upload Date:** Sometime after next Sunday

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 76

Ice shot up Touya's arm, encasing it in a crystal that ended in a rather sharp and threatening point. He extended his arm twice to get used to the motion, then crouched and shot himself off at a grinning Jin, who was hovering over the hardwood floor. The ceiling above them was rather high, so he could take off at any point, but not so high that Touya wouldn't be able to hit him with a flying projectile if he did decide to retreat into the air. It was a good place to train, affording advantages to neither side.

As Touya neared, Jin sent a puff of wind downward and flipped higher into the air, clear from the ice sword. At the exact same time, with a speed that suggested that he had known what Jin was going to do, Touya raised his other hand and blew, sending shards of ice spiraling up at the wind demon.

"Whoop!" Jin let out a brief exhale of surprise as he quickly pushed himself out of the way. He dropped several feet and then started to spiral quickly down towards Touya, coming closer with each revolution. Similarly, Touya began to spin as well, the ice shards, creating a deadly storm that just missed Jin as he sped past it.

A smile flashed over Jin's face as he dove, a smirk of pure delight at the situation. It was an all-out moment, a moment to risk their lives on, a true fight, one that he couldn't be sure that he would win –

His face stopped a millimeter from Touya's face. Touya's iced arm was similarly right next to his nose, and there were splinters of ice next to his eye. These seemed to hang in the air for almost a minute, before they lost their hold and fell down, landing with a tinkering sound like glass and breaking into tiny pieces. The two stared into each other's' eyes and then, in unison, both lowered their arms.

"Nice workout," Touya murmured.

"Feeling less stressed now?" Jin asked, now grinning outright.

Touya let out a breath. "Yes. Thank you." He and Jin walked from the center of the training hall, nodding to the next pair of demons who were hoping for a good warm up fight before the real battle. Touya grabbed a towel and rubbed it over his neck and hair as he walked. They hadn't gotten very far from the ring before a soft rumble stopped them.

"Nice fight. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that you two were really aiming to kill."

In unison, the two demons, one wind, one ice, turned to face the speaker. He was a rather tall demon, muscled, with a blue-purple Mohawk, a green stripe across his nose and a flask in one hand. Next to him was a much shorter demon, barely more than a child, with a puffy hat on his head, carrying and playing idly with a set of small yo-yos with stars on them that matched the ones on his face. They were both smiling rather easily.

Touya's eyes widened briefly, but then he smiled, one of the first genuine expressions of emotion that he had shown since entering the castle. He held out his hand to the taller demon who took it and shook it heartily then patted Touya on the back.

"Pleasure to actually meet you. I admired your fighting style in the tournament," Touya said, keeping his voice low.

"Same here," Chu drawled, grinning. "The way you almost got Urameshi –" He stopped at Touya's slight shake of the head. "But that's for later. We got other business to talk about."

Jin's eyebrows shot up, and he looked back and forth between Chu and Rinku, before the answer clicked. Sparks began to rise around him. "Oh look, Touya," He said jovially, "More fun is coming."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"So what now?" Lance had asked.<p>

And cold as anything, Hiei had answered, "Now we're going to fight."

He heard murmurs behind him. It probably wasn't the smartest idea, but how else would he distract Lance until the others had rescued the silly humans – not that that was why he was doing it. Definitely not. He just wanted a good fight. After all, Lance was powerful. Hiei repeated the reason to himself, almost as if he thought he could make the words true if he thought them enough.

He glanced at his sword for a moment, looked at lance and then sheathed the thing.

Lance raised an eyebrow. "And you plan on taking me on without your sword?"

"It's not necessary." Hiei reached up and pulled off the white band around his forehead and dropped it to the ground. In the center of his forehead, glowing faintly, was his third eye, glimmering white as it threatened to open and unleash its powers.

For a very long moment, Lance just stared at the extra organ. "Oh. Oh, I see. So you're not a true telepath after all. You're just another creation of that man – _Shigure. _Just another one of his experiments, another one of his pets." Lance shook his head. "That is such a shame. Gwen will be very disappointed, and we're going to withdraw our offer to you to be one of our telepaths. We only want the natural ones. We'd still welcome you as a fighter, but of a normal class."

It took almost all of Hiei's control not to just attack recklessly right then, but somehow – the scene around him, the soldiers, the castle, Riko's prone body, the knowledge of what was happening – he managed to stop himself and remained completely still.

"I don't need to be a natural telepath to beat you. Even if I wasn't born with this eye, it and I have more than enough power to take you out."

That statement produced a laugh from Lance, who leaned back, halfway between impressed and thoroughly amused. "Oh. Really. So confident." He shook his head. "Well, it has been a long time since I've had a fight with another telepath." He held out his hand, sparks darker than night forming into a ball in his hand. "How about it? Let's see who's the better psychic."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Over here. Come on."<p>

Rinku looked around, a bit nervously, and then ran quickly past the hallway, ducking next to the wall, in the shadows of a torch, where the other four already were. "Are we close?"

"Very," Jin said with a slow drawl. He sniffed the air, and both his nose and his pointed ears seemed to quiver slightly. One of his hands was held, palm up. A tiny breeze wafted past them, and the others reacted much the same way. "I can smell them now. Lots of them, too." He frowned, the space between his eyebrows crinkling. He looked at Touya. "Maybe too many."

Before Touya could reply, Chu made a shushing noise and then pressed himself back firmer against the wall. Further down the way, there was a demon walking towards them. She stopped by the torch and blew into it, the light flickering up and almost touching the shadowy recesses of the four's hiding place. It stopped there however, and the demon turned again and walked back.

Silently, Touya counted a breath and then began to creep after her, feet completely silent on the floor. This kind of work was only natural for him and Jin. They stepped into the light, speeding up briefly before they reached another patch of darkness and slowed momentarily, checking their surroundings and then continuing on.

As they continued, he could hear Rinku's breathing, a sound that irritated him mildly. Chu's breathing was also audible, though Jin's was completely hidden, aside from the faintest breath of air, and that was only due to their proximity. _Amateurs_, Touya thought, though only a bit of the emotions behind the thought were actually disdainful.

The demon they had seen before came into sight again, and Touya paused. She was standing a meter to the side of a torch, her red hair flickering as if it, too was on fire. A few meters to her side was a barred iron gate, behind which the stench of human flesh and fear was all too clear, though none were in sight. A few meters to that side, there was another demon, this one a male, with two curled horns on the side of his head, enough to make anyone a bit tentative.

That wasn't the only thing to made Touya hesitant though. He recognized the other demon as one that had trained with him and Jin before, who was quite friendly with them. A tiny twist of regret pricked Touya, and then it was gone. He held up his hand, signaling Jin.

A breeze slipped past him, strengthening as it went until it blew past the torch on the other side of the male demon and blew it out.

"Ah, shit," Came the voice of the demon, now almost invisible in the dark. "Megani, light's out."

Megani laughed slightly and walked towards the other demon, flames flickering into her hand. "I can see that. Only you'd manage to blow out a torch."

"I didn't blow it out. It went out by itself."

As she reached out her flame, Megani replied, "Fire doesn't do that. Especially not my fire."

_Now._

Touya raised his hand, and instantly, the three warriors around him sped forward. Almost before she had time to react, Megani was sinking to the ground, knocked out cold by a hard blow from Rinku's yo-yos which were spinning like demons around his small frame. A few dropped to the ground, disconnected from Rinku's hand by the brief flame that Megani had managed to attack with before unconsciousness took her.

The other demon – Boran – had slightly more time given that he was actually facing the direction that the three had come from and that he was further away. He leapt back as the three charged, hitting the wall. His nails seemed to lengthen and strengthen into claws, and a surprised growl leapt from his throat.

"Jin?" He hissed. "Is that –"

Rinku's yoyos came perilously close to Boran's face, and he jumped back again. Taking advantage of the surprise, Jin hopped forward, sped by the tiny breezes gathering themselves around his feet and then with a cheerful, but steely grin, he pulled back his elbow and socked Boran in the nose. The horned demon dropped to the ground with very little aplomb and lay there, motionless.

"Well, that was easy," Chu drawled. He took a sip from his flask. "Nothing to it."

Touya glanced at him in faint amusement and then stepped over to the iron bars. While the short assault had been occurring, the humans inside had stirred. Several had come close to the entrance and were peering out, eyes halfway between wary and curious. One of them slipped past the others and came right up to the bars, her face flickering in the light of the flame torches.

"You're… Touya," Shizuru murmured. "You fought Yusuke in the tournament." She looked to the side to take in the sight of a grinning, ever cheerful Jin, a happily drunk Chu and a short Rinku. "All of you were in the tournament. What are you doing here?" Her eyes lit a bit. "Did Koenma send you?"

"Ooh. Pretty and smart." Chu bowed. "Little lady, how about you and I –"

Rinku flicked a yoyo at Chu's head, knocking him sideways and almost into Jin, who obligingly stepped out of the way to let him stumble to the side. "Do you really think now is the time?"

As they bantered, Touya examined the bars. It looked like it would be easy enough to cut through them, but then what? They couldn't very well lead such a large group out the castle doors… Touya's eyes drifted around, scanning walls and floors for possible escape routes. They were about fifty meters below the main structure of the castle and almost in the direct center.

Touya paused and then went back to that thought. _Fifty meters below._ He knelt to the ground. It was padded dirt, hard under his touch, but it seemed like it would be fairly easy to upend it and turn it loose. The walls were lined with stone, but he had a suspicion that those probably weren't as thick as they should have been, and beneath those laid stones was probably more easily moved dirt.

_Okay then._ He nodded absently to himself and then turned to face the group. "Here's the plan." He nodded at the prone bodies. "We have to hide those and make sure that they stay asleep. That shouldn't be too hard, given that this is a one-way passage, so no one will be coming from that end, and there are plenty of other empty cells. Two of us will stand guard outside. When the next shift of guards comes down, they will be knocked out and put with the others. The other two of us are going to go into the cell and start digging a way out. Try the back wall and go straight for about five hundred meters or so and then start angling upwards. I think there's dirt beneath the stones, so it should be fairly easy going once we blast that off. Jin, I think you should stand guard, because you'll be a familiar face, and as for the other one…" He looked at Rinku and Chu. "Anyone prefer excavating to standing guard?"

Chu and Rinku looked at each other and then shrugged. Rinku looked at Touya. "I'll dig."

Nodding, Touya turned his attention to the bars. To Shizuru, he ordered, "Stand back, please." When she did so, he held up his hand, pale blue ice freezing the bottom of three bars. He tested the ice and then brought his arm back and punched it. The bottom of the bars shattered, leaving a nice hole that he quickly ducked through, followed by Rinku. That done, he turned around and raised a hand.

Ice rose from the broken pieces of the bar, running at each other until they connected, forming the semblance of a cage that was completely intact. It would only be possible to deduce the bars were ice if one was almost right next to it, and really, who examined the bottom of an iron bar that closely?

"Very well," He murmured. "Let's begin."

End of Chapter 76

* * *

><p>Nomnomnom.<p> 


	77. Chapter 77

**A/N: **Back from the beach. Nice and tan. Unfortunately, this is the last of my large stock of chapters I can draw from. Still, lots of time, so I'm gonna start building it up again.

**Upload Date:** 6/2/13

**Next Upload Date:** Next week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 77

Everything was dark, but not black. No, there was definitely an environment around him. It was reminiscent of a swamp, dark, with gray weeping willows scattered about and lining the path that he was walking on. The water, where it appeared, was the darkest, and there was no real way to be sure as to the actual depth. When he looked away and then looked back, everything had shifted, just a little bit, barely enough to be noticeable, but always enough.

An eerie silence hovered over the place, and there was no sign of life, something that didn't bother Hiei all that much. He began to walk down the path, ignoring his ever changing surroundings and looking forward instead, at the clear, unblocked way.

It all looked… calm, if not peaceful. Hiei stopped walking and turned in a circle. He was alone – impossible, of course. Lance was somewhere in here, probably in the same situation that he was in - whatever situation that might be.

"Not really."

He whirled, but there was nothing there, not even a breeze to sway the branches. And yet, the willow did seem to be moving, back and forth, almost hypnotically. On instinct, Hiei reached for his sword, but it wasn't there. He looked down. The sword, along with the sheath, had disappeared. It had been there before. He was almost certain of it.

Or had it been?

"Where are you?"

"All around you. Have you never had a telepath's fight before? You should get your act together fast, or you're not going to exist for much longer."

And then Hiei could feel it, that touch of another's presence in the nothingness around him. It was so faint that it was almost nonexistent, but not even Lance could hide the whisper of his scent. Not that it was exceedingly helpful. The smell – it wasn't really a smell, but Hiei wasn't quite sure how else to describe the feeling that lingered in the air – was dissipating all around them, growing weaker there and then a bit stronger, but moving quickly enough that even if Hiei managed to figure out how to attack, he wasn't sure that he'd be able to actually hit anything.

"You really don't know," Came the thoughtful voice. "Okay, then. I'll explain. A telepath's fight isn't quite like any other one. For one thing, it takes place in the mind. That's where we are now." And Hiei got the distinct feeling of someone extending an arm and gesturing towards the surroundings, though from where, he had no idea. "Here, in a world created by our minds, one that will only exist while we are here, we will fight for control until one of us stands at the top. There will be no exchange of blows, no physical touching at all, no flesh injuries. But in exchange for that, one of us will have to pay with mental injuries, with the scars of memories and traumas that you will be forced to relieve again and again."

The words seemed to echo, which was strange. He would have thought that marshland would have absorbed sound, not reflected it. But that wasn't the important part. He had other things to be concerned with. Quite a lot of things if Lance's description was accurate.

"I'll give you a chance now to surrender." Lance's voice came again, softer. "One more chance. Like I said, this will ruin you, and then Gwen would scold me."

Despite the slight haze that was slowly creeping over him, Hiei snapped, almost on instinct, "Never."

There was no answer, just a faint change in the scent in the air, a touch of satisfaction that did not bode well.

Hiei guarded himself, waiting for the attack, but it didn't come.

What did come was a cold blast of wind, streaking across his cheek, making him wince and try to turn away. He couldn't. In fact, he could barely move at all. He was wrapped in something, something soft and warm, blankets and held in someone's arms, carried like a –

The scene around him had changed. It was now pale white and blue, with strands of gray cloud along the lighter ones in the sky. Snow was dancing in strange winds around him, thick and making it hard to see. He was looking up at a woman's face. She was modestly pretty, with blue hair and skin that looked as if it had been made from ice. Her features were twisted in unhappiness, but determination as she trudged along, moving steadily higher and higher.

They were going up a mountainside, he realized, and there was something about this scene that was horrifyingly familiar. The woman stops moving, and Hiei is shifted in her arms. She holds him over the edge of a cliff and prepares to drop him. Her arms are shaking, and the fall is dizzyingly close, but luckily, her strength seems to fail her, and she pulls back.

Now she lays him on the ground and then reaches for a necklace that he's holding. It is a thin piece of string with one brilliant pale blue pearl on the end, glimmering in the faint gleams of light. She tries to pull it from his grip, but Hiei refuses to let go.

_No. If nothing else, I must keep this. I must. This is –_

And then Hiei realizes what the scene is. His first memory. Being taken from his mother's side, sentenced to death for being the only male in a tribe of icy hearted ice demonesses, but the ice maiden who had taken him up had been unable to kill him, unable to throw him from the cliff, so she had abandoned him instead, left him in the middle of the mountain with only a tear from his mother to remember her by.

_I will kill them all._ It had been a burning desire of his for years. _For what they've put me through. I will come back, and I will –_

Hate becomes an overwhelming emotion in his body, heating and heating. He is back there again, back as an infant, with nothing, no other emotion than the desire for complete and utter revenge. It had fueled him for years and was fueling him now. He could think of nothing else.

_Good._ The whisper was not his own, but the emotions in him were so complete that Hiei barely noticed the foreign presence.

_Good. Let's move on._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Clunk – Clunk – Clunk<em>

Rinku muttered in irritation and wipes the sweat from his forehead and he throws his yo-yos at the stone parts again, gradually cracking them down into dust. There was already a large hole in which he could see dirt, but they would need a larger one if they wanted to get all the people in the prison out in a reasonable amount of time.

Next to him, Touya was freezing the stone before Rinku hit it, making it easier for the pieces to shatter, and all around them, the humans watched. They were unsure of how to feel at the moment. The intruders were demons, and yet, they were trying to help them. For those who had never even considered the possibility of intelligent life other than humans and couldn't quite comprehend the existence of demons, it was even more shocking. Shizuru was the only calm one. She was sitting to the side, watching closely, but not talking. Any talk would only be a distraction, and she understood that it would be necessary to leave the place as soon as possible.

Her thoughts turned to other matters. Her brother, for one. His words. His decision to not abandon everything else just for a chance to save her. She smiled a bit, a little sadly. Her brother had once been terribly idealistic, ridiculously so, and while he hadn't lost that yet, it was clear that he was becoming hardened. It was good for him, she knew, and yet, she would miss the innocence that had once shone in his bright eyes.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>It was gone. He reached for the string around his neck, but it was gone. Gone. His heart tightened, and for the first time he realized what the jewel really meant to him. He had been using it as a way to attract stronger opponents to fight. They flocked in at the sight of the thing and the riches that it could bring, and Hiei enjoyed a good fight – well, 'enjoy' was a strong word. It was good entertainment, a good way to fill up the coldness that he had inherited from his mother.<p>

But now, it was gone. The one thing that he had had to remember his mother by. Not that he frequently thought of her, but it was something. The necklace was gone, jewel gone, with nothing left but ice and a feeling that Hiei didn't really want to recognize.

He closed his eyes.

_Nothing matters_.

* * *

><p>There is a touch on his forehead, and he opens his eyes again, slowly, painfully.<p>

He is lying on his back, and there is a man standing above him tall, thin, with surgical tools lined up neatly on a moving platform next to him. He is talking. Something about how the surgery will be incredibly painful, so painful that it might just kill him and that even if it doesn't then it will leave him incredibly weak for a long time, possibly forever.

Does he really want it?

_Yes_, Hiei decides instantly, with no real thought on the matter. He'd already 'paid', already told his story to the man and been judged 'worthy' for the implantation of a third eye, one that would give him to ability to see almost anywhere and to penetrate the minds of others.

The surgeon rolled his eyes and nodded, confirming Hiei's request and then began.

There had never been pain such as this. Of that, Hiei was certain.

* * *

><p>He stood at the entrance to the famed village of the snow maidens. He could feel them inside their little huts, could feel their fear and surprise when they noticed him. They began to exit, frowning, obviously not pleased with the intruder and obviously with no idea as to who he was. He let them walk forward, said nothing, did nothing. The jagan on his forehead was glowing faintly. It was what had led him to the village.<p>

One woman stepped out before the rest and asked him what he was doing there. Her voice gave truth to the common sentiment that the only thing colder than the ice maidens' habitat was their heart. He didn't deign to give a reply, but instead continued to look at them, his own gaze matching the darkness of theirs. Then, when he'd looked enough, when he'd come to the conclusion that the women were not worth the effort it would take to kill them, he turned to leave. The women murmured, but began to disperse as he crossed out of the village, where there was still snow but no houses.

Before he had walked too far, there was a cry, and when he turned a woman was racing towards him, her pale blue hair flying wildly in the wind, her kimono flapping around her knees. She stopped before him and lifted her hands, trembling, making to touch his face. He stopped her, of course, and quickly discovered who the woman was. His mother's best friend and also the one who had abandoned him in the first place.

_Kill me,_ she had said – begged, really.

And he had considered it for a moment, seriously considered it, before dismissing the words and turning and walking away. Instinctively, he reached up for the necklace that he had once worn. It was, of course, no longer there. His fist closed around the empty space and then he opened his hand and looked at it.

_Empty._

_There is nothing._

* * *

><p>Lance smiled to himself, drifting casually through the marshland in the mind-space that had been created by the combination of his power and Hiei's. The fight had been easy, almost too much so. Telepaths that had been made rarely realized just what they could do if they really tried. No, they used it for the silly things, the small things. They didn't train themselves enough, and look where it had gotten him. Now Lance's power seeped throughout the entire place, and Hiei was trapped in his memories, mourning things that he had done or hadn't done, everything swirling into a desperate mass of emotion.<p>

_My victory,_ Lance thought, _yet again._

He was glad that he'd gotten rid of this demon, even if it did mean that Gwen would be unhappy with him. It was unusually satisfying, though he wasn't quite sure why. _Maybe I just need to fight telepaths more often._

Slowly, he began to withdraw himself from the marshland, leaving Hiei trapped there.

The fight was over.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurama tried to contain the concern in the pit of his stomach when both Lance and Hiei had closed their eyes, and a blanket of power had covered the both of them. He tried to contain the fear as Lance's presence became more and more dominant. And now, he tried, tried with everything he had, to keep the horror from showing on his face as Hiei's knees bent, and the fire-ice demon fell to the ground face first and utterly helpless.<p>

Around him, there were murmurs, putting words to the thoughts that Kurama was trying to restrain.

Lance's eyes opened, and he looked down at Hiei's stilled body. There was a satisfied look on his face, and he looked up at Koenma, at the army, confidence hanging in every pore. Koenma's fists were white-knuckled.

Hiei had lost.

End of Chapter 77

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	78. Chapter 78

**A/N: **So very sleepy.

**Upload Date:** 6/12/13

**Next Upload Date:** Next week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 78

There had been one changing of the guards, two demons that Jin and Chu had taken care of with much too much enthusiasm and halfway to the time to another one when Touya decided that they had dug far enough that they could begin moving the humans into the hole, begin them walking. They were already tilting towards the surface, though there was still some time to go before they could be assured of their safety.

_We'll be here for one more guard change at least_, Touya calculated. It made his skin prickle, the thought of being here any longer. The demons above might start to notice when their friends didn't come back even when their guard duty was over. There wasn't time to deal with the nosy.

He told Rinku that he'd be right back – the boy grinned cheerfully at him, somehow invigorated despite the energy that he was pouring into his yo-yos as he dug his way through the earth – and then walked back towards the cell. It took but a minute, and he was there again. The humans looked at him, but he ignored them, looking instead for Shizuru. She was the only one that he felt would actually listen, and she could get the others to listen to her, he was sure.

She was sitting against the wall next to the hole that they had made. In her hand, she held a piece of the broken wall, running it between her fingers like it was a set of prayer beads. Shizuru looked up when Touya hopped out and raised an eyebrow.

"We should start moving people in," Touya said, his voice soft and light. "Could you convince them to start coming?"

Shizuru nodded. She dropped the stone and used the wall to push herself to her feet. "Of course." She started to walk off and then stopped. Her eyes were lowered. Touya waited. "…My… brother, is he –"

Touya gave his most reassuring smile. "I don't believe that the actual fighting has started yet, and either way, I'm sure he's fine. Your brother is a very passionate and skilled fighter. I have faith in him and Yusuke. They will be alright."

After a moment of locked eyes, Shizuru nodded and turned away, walking off.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Well, now that <em>that's<em> done, I think it's really best that we start this thing." Lance addressed his words to Koenma, who was some place between shocked at Hiei's loss and determined to win the battle he knew was coming. He was walking backward as he spoke, something that should have made him look dumb and cowardly, but somehow, it seemed graceful. "We're ready for you whenever you want to come." He reached the castle walls and seemed to melt into them, disappearing behind gray-white stone.

Koenma let out a breath.

Somewhere, between Riko and Hiei, he had managed to convince himself that the war wouldn't actually occur, that his team would beat the leaders of the rebellion and cow the rest of the group into submission. There would be a victory, but no bloodshed.

_No time for thinking about that now._

Almost mournfully, he turned to his troops, calling his commanders to him and beginning to bark off orders. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kurama and flicked his hand to him, giving him free rein to do as he would. Before he fixed his attention back to his task, he saw Kurama approaching Hiei's body.

* * *

><p>"Unconscious," Kurama murmured to Yusuke and Kuwabara. The unspoken part, <em>'And I don't know if he's ever going to wake up again'<em> hung in the air dangerously.

When he looked up, Yusuke's face was tight and Kuwabara's resigned.

"So this is it, huh?" Kuwabara muttered. "We're actually going to fight."

"Seems like it," Yusuke replied, voice just as stressed as his face. He was shaking slightly, in anger, adrenaline, maybe even a bit of fear. He looked down at Kurama as the redhead began to lift the upper half of Hiei's body. "What are you going to do with him?"

"I believe that it would be best to remove him and…" His eyes flickered over to the side, "Riko from the battlefield and place them somewhere safe."

Both of them blinked at him and then looked back at Riko. Yusuke made his way over to her. "Is she okay?"

"She's just exhausted," Kurama replied, gently.

"Yeah. Bastard Hiei. I'd say he deserves this," Yusuke spat. There was an underlying aggression in his tone that Kurama hadn't heard in a long time.

Kurama looked at his teammate. "Yusuke, he saved her. She wasn't actually under his control." He addressed them both now. "She was pretending so that she could create a distraction so that Rinku and Chu could go and help Touya and Jin get the humans okay." Kuwabara's eyes lit with hope. "I'm afraid I don't know how they're doing in that venture, but I have faith in them. Hiei could see Riko's exhaustion, and so he… decided to take matters into his own hands."

Yusuke stared at his redheaded companion for a moment and then snorted. "Huh. That sounds just like Hiei." He glared down at Hiei's body with a mix of worry and affection. "Alright. We'll move them." He jerked his head over at Koenma as he picked up Riko's body. "You wanna go talk to the toddler there? I think he might need some help."

With a ghost of a smile, Kurama smiled and turned.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>The double-helix golden chain caught the light from the single candle and glittered as if it was embedded with a thousand jewels. It shone nicely over Gwen's pale skin, and the moon stone at the end of the chain reflected that paleness and made it stronger, brighter, more beautiful. Without really meaning to, Gwen reached up and fingered the moon. It was a full one, puckered in places where the real moon had asteroids – not their moon. The moons of the Demon World were quite different from those on the Human World, but given that the Sanguine Necklace had been made back in the Human World, it only made sense that the moon portrayed was theirs.<p>

It was a strange thought, that one of the most powerful treasures in the world had been created in the Human World. There were many rumors as to its origins, but the most common and widely believed was that a demon blacksmith had fallen in love with a human girl and had taken her to the Demon World with him. He had created the necklace as both a token of his affections and as a way to protect his beloved from enemy demons. Unfortunately, the creation had come too late, and the girl had been killed before the blacksmith had finished. By the time the blacksmith returned to his lover, she was dead, and he soon followed with a broken heart.

_What a tragic story,_ Gwen thought. She dropped her hand and then reached out and snuffed out the candle between her two forefingers. The pain twitched briefly on her fingertips before it sizzled out and she was left in darkness. She closed her eyes and began to control her breathing, in and out, quiet and soft.

_Humans are evil. They can corrupt even a pure thing such as love and bring it to death._ And wasn't it true? If the blacksmith had loved another demon, there would have been no need to create such a necklace, no need to suffer in death. _Humans are weak. They are unlike us. They must be destroyed._ It was a truth that she would make universally acknowledged.

A series of three crisp knocks seeped into her minds. Gwen considered the noise and then let her meditation state go. "Come in."

There was the turning of the door handle and then, looking as if he hadn't just been outside negotiating/fighting, Lance walked in. He was accompanied by an outpouring of light and was looking obviously quite cheerful. "They're getting ready, Gwen. We're about to begin."

Gwen made a noncommittal noise. She glanced at Lance and frowned. "What happened to Keun?"

Lance glanced next to him as if only just realizing the girl wasn't next to him. He frowned slightly. "I left her behind." He shrugged. "She was defeated. It's sad really. By the telepath. He barely had to do anything, and she was down, which means she probably wasn't worth my time." He shrugged again. "I can reclaim her after the battle if she doesn't die."

"The telepath?" Gwen asked. "What happened to him?"

"I beat him," Lance replied carelessly. "Sorry, but he was asking for it. And I just locked himself in his own mind. If you like, I'll release him when we win."

"No, it's fine," Gwen replied. "I doubt he'll survive, and I have enough of you now. You say they're getting ready?" She got to her feet and stretched, catlike. "Go prepare the troops. I'm going to the top of the castle to scout." She tapped herself on the side of her head. "Keep in touch."

Lance grinned, but the expression slipped for a moment as Gwen reached the door. _Gwen?_ He asked, serious for once. _Are you really going to – afterwards?_

"Of course." Compared to Lance's, Gwen's tone was relatively light, as if they spoke of nothing more serious than a summer's day. "I have to. And I want to." Gwen glanced back. "And besides, you'll make a great leader. Just don't be too indulgent."

The full moon at the base of her collarbone seemed to glow brighter as she stepped into the hallway and made her way down the hall.

_The Sanguine Necklace came to light because of the love a demon had for a human, but because of that love, both the demon and the human were destroyed._

Gwen's heart thumped in her chest.

_Humans corrupt everything. Even love._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"We need him."<p>

Koenma glanced at Kurama. He had just finished a flurry of orders and had closed his eyes briefly. Despite the momentarily lapse of concentration, he knew what Kurama was talking about. "I don't know what Grench did to him. Do you?"

Both looked over at Hiei, who was slung over Kuwabara's shoulder, a position that he would most definitely have protested vehemently had he been in his right mind to do so.

"Riko risked herself so that we could get the humans out, but all that is useless if the telepathic link is kept in place. We have to take down Grench, and Hiei is the only one with enough telepathic power to do it."

"Yes," Koenma agreed, voice halfway between dry and bitter. "And _he_ has already failed."

"He's all that we have," was the reply. "Unless you've been doing some major restocking since I last checked the records, the army is hugely lacking in telepaths. We need to give Hiei another chance to take down Lance, and to do that –"

"We have to bring him out of that state," Koenma finished. "Yes, I realize. We have healers aplenty." He nodded towards the back of the ranks. "But I'm not quite sure if that's what he needs."

Kurama nodded in agreement. It was his first time witnessing a telepath's battle, but he was fairly certain that the damage was completely mental, and healers, no matter how good they were, found it hard to deal with wounds that couldn't be seen.

"Take him back for now," Koenma ordered. "If that doesn't work…" He rubbed his forehead, a motion that was so tired that, had Kurama not been in a thousand battles, it might have hurt him. "Figure something else out." He gave Kurama a levelheaded stare. "I have no orders for you. You are to make yourself useful wherever you see fit. Whatever you have to do or want to do." He shook his head. "Use the soldiers only if you must. They'll obey you, but their commanders won't be happy, and they _do_ know what they're doing, so, if you don't have to, let them do it."

Softly, Kurama murmured, "Of course." He turned to follow the retreating figures of Yusuke and Kuwabara through the neat ranks of the Spirit World army.

It seemed as if Yusuke and Kuwabara had had the same idea as he and Koenma, for when Kurama finally caught up, they were already inside small, portable tents filled with multi-colored soft light – the energy of a healer. Riko and Hiei had both been laid out on mats, and there were two people working on them both.

He hesitated for a moment, but then commanded, "Stop on Riko." The healer, along with Yusuke and Kuwabara looked up at him, surprised, the energy from the healer's body paused at the tips of her fingers. "She won't be fighting anymore today, and she'll recover on her own. She's a healer as well." He lifted the corner of his mouth in a faint smile. "It's what she would want, remember?"

"When did we start listening to Riko?" Yusuke wondered aloud as Kuwabara shook his head in acceptance.

Turning his attention to the other cot, Kurama knelt on the other side of Hiei, careful not to get in the way of the healer. Softly, he asked, "Can you do anything?"

The healer withdrew. He was sharp-eyed, and there was a frown line cut between his eyebrows. "Normally, I would smack you for interrupting me." His voice sounded like a mini-avalanche, the gravel making it almost impossible to distinguish the words. "However, in this case, the question in warranted." He nodded towards Hiei. "His body is in perfect shape. His mind has been locked. I'm afraid that I don't have the ability to penetrate it – or anyone else in this camp."

"Do you know how we could?"

Shaking his head, the healer rumbled, "Not sure. We don't see that many cases like this. You need to break into his mind. Need a telepath for something like that. Or someone with an innate connection."

_Innate… ah. _Lowering his voice, Kurama murmured, "Like a sibling?"

"That might be good. Can't guarantee it, of course. And where would you find a sibling around here anyways?"

Ignoring the last part, Kurama placed himself more firmly by Hiei. "Thank you for your advice. I'll look over them for now if that's alright?" The healer glared and then shrugged, exiting with the woman. "Kuwabara?"

"Yeah?" The orange-headed individual glanced at his teammate.

"I have a job for you."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Several skirmishes and attempts to scale the walls had occurred before the tent flap was pushed aside, and Kuwabara pushed in.<p>

"Hey," He said, grinning and gruff.

Kurama smiled at him. "Kuwabara. Welcome back. Did you –"

"Right here," Kuwabara replied. He stepped out of the way and let the petite figure behind him walk in.

The smile on Kurama's face widened.

"Hello, Yukina."

End of Chapter 78

* * *

><p>Nyah.<p> 


	79. Chapter 79

**A/N: **Been very busy getting completely obsessed with Bones. I promise I'll start writing properly and getting my reserves up again.

**Upload Date:** 6/21/13

**Next Upload Date:** Next week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 79

One might think that with supernatural powers that allowed one to blast holes in steel and even granted the ability to fly at times, that siege wars would be completely unnecessary. Unfortunately for both sides, this was very untrue. The appearance of such power on both sides only meant that sieges would last shorter but be much bloodier with riskier attacks made and more damages lost as a result. It might only take two days to knock down a castle wall, but in the process, a few thousand men might be lost.

Koenma had no intention of losing nearly so many and so had opted mainly for ranged attacks, with a few of the hardier men who had been trained for such a thing attempting to scale the walls. There were so few of them that many times they managed to surprise those at the top and take down quite a few before they themselves were shot down. It was a suicide mission, but then, all wars were such things.

His eyes scanned the battlefield as he watched one of his soldiers snipe down a dark blue demon, who fell to the side, almost knocking over his compatriot, who spent a moment checking his pulse before discarding the body with a cold precision that scared Koenma. These demons were trained. Very well trained if the medical way that the demon had treated his fellow soldier had been any example. Gwen de Lire was a good commander, probably well versed in the ways of war and the tactics and strategies that had to be used to obtain any real victory.

_She must be a good leader, too,_ Koenma thought grimly.

Demons were stubborn by birth. They didn't like taking orders from anyone, and while the weaker ones might flock to someone with power, these demons were not weak, not all or even most of them. That meant that they truly respected Gwen, respected her commands enough to follow them to the letter. It had been quite a while since such a leader had appeared among the demons. The last time that it had happened, he had been – not friendly to Spirit World, quite the opposite, but he had had no intentions of invading the Human World. It was unfortunate that Gwen wanted the exact opposite.

For a brief moment, Koenma let himself imagine what this war might turn into if he and his army lost. Gwen de Lire would march on, break through the barrier between the two worlds. He had no idea how, but he had little doubt that she would figure out or, as was more likely, had already figured out a way. This army would march into the Human World and begin its attack. He wasn't even quite sure which side would win. It was true that Gwen had the advantage of supernatural powers, but humans had a tendency towards survival and would probably not shy from complete devastation to stop the alien force.

_But it won't come to that,_ Koenma forced the image down. No, it would not come to that. He would stop them here at their stronghold, and there would be peace. For a while. For maybe a year, a few months, for some time, surely… It was a terribly annoying thought, one that Koenma knew would probably be true for all of eternity. Peace would never last, not with the demons so riotous and unwilling to listen to anyone. He would have to keep sending people over to keep them down, and what did that do but build up more resentment and more desire to cross the boundary and see what he had forbidden them?

Weariness crowded Koenma's mind.

_I wish I could end this._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Hello, Kurama," Yukina said, rather shyly. She smiled at the redhead, who she considered quite handsome, though she felt no other feelings of attraction towards him.<p>

Her eyes shifted to the cot, where Hiei lay, and her expression immediately changed into one of worry. Without even really thinking about it, Yukina moved over to him and took his hand. It was cold, colder even than hers. It reminded her of the village that she had come from, where snow was constant. To feel that ice from another living thing was worrying and yet, it was a bit comforting at the same time. Something about Hiei felt familiar, and that made her feel better.

She spread her power throughout his body and found no wounds. She withdrew and looked up at Kurama, blinking in confusion. "What –"

"He challenged a telepath, and he was trapped in his own mind," Kurama explained. "All the other healers must be kept on reserve for the soldiers." Not the real reason, of course, but then, if he told Yukina the real reason why he'd asked Kuwabara to call her here, when Hiei awoke, he'd probably need a healer as well, and that was something that he really didn't want to deal with. Better a small lie.

Yukina nodded. "Of course. I don't have much experience in this area, however, so I don't know how much help I'll be."

"That's fine," Kurama replied reassuringly. "Just… call out to him."

For a moment, the two looked at each other, and Yukina thought that she saw something in Kurama's eyes. A secret. But not necessarily a bad one. She looked back at Hiei and, almost absently, touched the side of his face, his cheek, a caress.

And then, without really knowing why, she closed her eyes, dropping her hand down so that she now held Hiei's hand with both of hers. Softly, she whispered, "Hiei?" There was no response. "Hi, Hiei. It's been a while. I don't…" She shook her head. "You have to come back, Hiei. We need you here. And you don't belong locked up. You belong out here, with the rest of us. Come back to us." Her voice trembled a little, and she sent a small, pale blue spark into the body.

To her surprise, the spark hovered inside Hiei's body, surrounded by his own black sparks. It moved about freely, Hiei's own energy moving apart to allow hers to mingle with it.

_He's not repelling me._

It was strange and would have been worrying in other circumstances. People only stopped fighting against strange forces in their bodies when they were too weak to do so, but Yukina could still detect absolutely nothing wrong with Hiei. It was as if his energy simply recognized her as another part of it and therefore let it go by without any trouble.

"Hiei," She said again, a little louder, a little stronger. She chased the feeling inside, the feeling of knowing but not sure how. It had been that way since the beginning. That very faint, but very much there feeling of being connected to Hiei. Ever since he had first burst in and rescued her from her captors, since she had first met his eyes.

_I know you._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>From the top of the castle, in a little stone tower that was heavily shielded both physically and magically, Gwen stood, surveying the siege that was ongoing. Her demons were doing well, following what she had taught them to the letter. At the sight, Gwen couldn't help but smile, somewhere between fond affection for her soldiers and pride for both them and herself.<p>

After a bit more time observing, Gwen noticed Koenma's strategy. Distract her troops with random and rather singular attacks from ridiculously large men while ranged soldiers, some using energy, others reverting to bows and arrows, picked off stray soldiers. It was designed to slowly wear her people down without using up too many of Koenma's own soldiers. A good plan, but only as long as the ranged soldiers managed to find cover.

Closing her eyes, Gwen reached out her mind, finding the strings of telepaths that she had in her army. Every soldier belonged to a platoon, and each platoon had its line of leaders, along with a telepath commander. It was much safer to communicate that way than through any spoken word. It would be almost impossible to intercept a command, and it was faster as well. As long as her telepaths stayed alive, communication would be impeccable.

_Horik, Naysh. Tell your leaders to take three of your best rangers to the North and South towers. Get them to start retaliating. Pick off what soldiers you can get shots at, archers and rangers if they become visible. Don't be obvious. I will take care of it here. Get ready. A huge opening is going to occur soon._

There was a pause and then – _Yes, ma'am._

She watched briefly as her troops moved to accommodate the command and then looked for the rangers taking out her men. They were hiding, a hundred meters back or so, behind the sparse trees that Gwen had not cut down. She smiled coldly. It hadn't been a miscalculation of course. Leaving a few trees meant that she would know exactly where they were, know how to cut them down. It wouldn't be likely to give her much of an advantage, but it would let Koenma know what he was dealing with, and seeing some fear on the human-enabling heir to the Spirit World would give her no little satisfaction.

And, if she was lucky, he might be hiding behind one of those trees himself.

_How well will their army run if their leader is killed so early?_ Gwen wondered absently to herself and then smiled, all cheer and no malice in the expression. Hopefully, she would find out.

Lifting a finger, Gwen waited for her energy – a shade of medium purple, rich and royal – to grow into a tiny ball and then took aim at the nearest tree, where she could just see the tip of a ranger's bow peeking out. A moment's carelessness. But it was enough.

She lowered her hand and then fired.

* * *

><p>Yusuke had just gotten orders from Koenma to go with the archers and see if he could shoot off some of the more exposed soldiers on the walls when a prickling in the air and then a yell from behind him made him dive for cover.<p>

"Urameshi!"

And then immediately after, just before he hit the ground and covered his head, Yusuke saw something very familiar flying towards him. It was round and pulsing and purple, which was unusual, but that didn't really subtract from its bullet-like countenance.

_Hey, that kinda looks like –_

_BOOM_

* * *

><p>The shot went straight and true and exploded upon hitting the tree. The tree burst into flame, taking with it the archer that had been using it as cover. She didn't even have time to scream before she was nothing more than ashes.<p>

_One more for your kingdom, Koenma_,Gwen thought. And one more time, she smiled.

All around the shot, people in other trees had dived to get out from the effects, making them easier targets for her. One had been just a few meters from the explosion and was not just flat on the ground, hands over his head, as if he thought that something like that could protect him from her energy.

Her attackers began shooting off shots immediately, sniping the ones who were not quick enough to get under cover fast enough. Four, aside from the one that she had smoked, went down from that attack.

_Not bad. _She clucked her tongue approvingly. _But I'm sure we can do better._ She dusted off her kimono absently and then began to aim for another tree, before pausing. The young man who had went flat to the ground was slowly making his way up. No one had shot him yet, probably presuming that he wasn't much of a threat. She blinked at him and then frowned.

_Human. _And then – _Well, now, that definitely has to come first._ She turned her shot towards the young man who was now on his feet and looking around, probably for where the shot had come from.

* * *

><p>Yusuke looked around, though not for where the shot had come from. He had seen that immediately. Its straight projector was too much like his own spirit gun for him not to realize that it was basically the same weapon. That meant its user had to be right in front of him, presumably in that tower. He wasn't sure, but he thought that he had seen movement there just a bit ago.<p>

No, Yusuke was looking for Kuwabara, whose warning yell had been part of the reason why he'd gotten down so fast. He had thought that Kuwabara had still been on the little mission that Kurama had sent him on. When had he gotten back? It was a good thing he had though, or Yusuke might have just stared at the shot. Not that he would ever tell Kuwabara that. _As if his head needs to get any bigger._

His searching was cut short by a prickling on his skin. Another shot was coming. This one was aimed directly at him. The sniper had made him the target this time. He had limited options. Try to dodge and hit the backlash or –

Yusuke lifted a hand, power blossoming at the tip of his right index finger as he took aim and then shot.

His own spirit bullet crashed into Gwen's, and for the second time in as many minutes, there was a horrendously loud _BOOM._

* * *

><p>Gwen blinked in surprise as her shot was deflected by the same attack, and then she smiled in delight and eager anticipation.<p>

He wasn't just any human.

He was Yusuke Urameshi.

End of Chapter 79

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	80. Chapter 80

**A/N: **None.

**Upload Date:** 6/29/13

**Next Upload Date:** Next week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 80

"_Hiei."_

A sense of something very pale and very blue dampened the deep sleep that Hiei had fallen into. It was light and hopeful, strange against the backdrop of misery and despair that it was pitted against. It hurt, too, but in the same way that a bandage hurt around a fresh cut, painful, but necessary.

"_Hiei, come back."_

That pricked him a bit, and he felt a surge of irritation. Go back? Go back where? And why should he? There was nothing in the world for him. He had been abandoned by everything and everyone. Nothing left. And it was safer here anyways. So why would he ever go back?

The cold that was wrapped around him grew even deeper, tightening like a noose.

* * *

><p>Yukina drew back. Her breath escaped from her quickly, and she took another one, a little shocked by the exposure to what might have been the inside of Hiei's mind. She looked around. Kurama was sitting off to the side, next to Riko's sleeping body. He looked up at her and smiled a bit.<p>

"Anything?"

"He's very enclosed," Yukina replied, absently. She looked back at her patient. "He's trapped in his own mind. I believe that he has been placed in a false situation, and that is what's keeping him in there." She paused. "But he's not resisting me, so that's good. Strange, though. He… he recognizes me." She turned her head to Kurama, seeing him again. "I don't know why. I don't think I've ever healed him before, and most people resist healers when they first are treated by them."

Kurama nodded, though he said nothing, waiting for Yukina to look back at Hiei.

She didn't.

Instead, she began to frown slightly, her gaze still on Kurama. "It feels as if I have some connection with him. It's like he's a missing part of me, one that I didn't even realize was there until… until now." She shook her head. "Is that strange?"

Kurama looked into red eyes, identical to Hiei's and smiled, just a bit sadly. "No. No, it's not."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Oh this is wonderful," Gwen muttered to herself, grinning delightedly. The expression took the shadows out from her features and made her look almost her opponent's age, despite being at least several decades his senior. "Yusuke Urameshi." Koenma's new favorite pet. A human who had shown enormous power and potential and was likely to continue showing it. From her information, he was a very stoic protector of the human race from demon enemies and rather respected in Spirit World as well, which meant that he held some political power as well as pure spirit strength.<p>

Which, of course, would make killing him that much more of a victory – a good way to strike a blow both at the human race and at their biggest protectors.

Gwen slipped into the space between the stone and pushed the upper part of her body through it. She stuck a hand out and then waved wildly until she was almost certain that Yusuke was looking at her. (It was hard to actually be sure given that he was so far away, but Gwen would take what she could get.)

"Hey, wait for me!" Gwen called, in a manner quite unbefitting of the chief commander of a very large, very dangerous army. "I'll be down there in a second." She waited for another moment and then turned and began to run down the stairs. _Horik, Naysh, both of you mark that boy. That is Yusuke Urameshi. You must not touch him. Spread the message to all the other troops. Tell them all not to aim at him, not to harm him. He is mine. I will fight him. Do you understand me? Make sure that everyone understands. No one is to shoot him or engage him until after I've finished._

A soft quiet and then, _Yes, ma'am. We will spread the message. We'll continue picking off the other soldiers. Is that alright?_

Smiling in satisfaction, Gwen nodded and then smiled again at the uselessness of the action. _Yes. That would be good. Be careful, but keep going._ She darted down the stairs, feet light on the stone. Her eyes glittered as she ran, beautiful and excited.

_Fight time._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"He doesn't believe that there's anything that he should come back for. He doesn't believe that there's anything in this world for him." Yukina looked at Hiei's passive, unconscious face with an expression of deep pain. "How can he believe that, Kurama?"<p>

Kurama pressed his lips together tight. "He's been alone for quite a long time. For…" Kurama hesitated again. "Since he was born." He shook his head and raised a hand when it looked like Yukina was going to ask another question. "I'm sorry, Yukina, but Hiei's past is something that he considers very important to himself. I don't think that I can tell you anything that happened without his permission. He'd never forgive me." A semi-bitter smile crossed Kurama's face at the truth of the statement, but he quickly shook his head to clear the thought from his mind. To Yukina, he said, "It might be best if you just try to remind him that he does have people that care. Anything you say – even your mere presence might help him."

Yukina looked at Kurama for a long time, so long that a drop of sweat actually had time to roll all the way down Kurama's neck, but finally, she nodded and turned back to Hiei. Her eyes closed again.

Something like a sigh of relief, only muted so as not to attract the ice maiden's attention, escaped Kurama, who leaned back slowly and closed his own eyes. They flew open again almost an instant later as Yukina began to speak.

"You're not alone, Hiei."

Green eyes flickered across the tent, resting and staying on the siblings across from him. Yukina had lowered her head so that her forehead was touching Hiei's, an intimate gesture that suggested great affection for the young demon.

" You have people here who care about you greatly. Kurama and Yusuke and Kazuma, even though you two always play that game where you spar with each other and pretend that you don't like each other. You have Riko and Botan and Koenma, and I can see that they all love you, even if you do try to keep yourself distant sometimes. And Keiko and Shizuru are both your fans, Shizuru, especially. She likes the way that you fight. She thinks that it's very direct, and she admires that," Yukina squeezed the hand that she held unconsciously and then smiled a little more.

"And I care about you, too, of course. I won't ever forget being Tarukane's captive." Yukina's eyes flicked open, and she stared at the far side of the tent, where, instead of fabric, she now saw a small window with iron bars splitting the only light that ever reached her in that tiny, cold room.

"It was horrible. It was the lowest point of my life so far. No – that's not true. The lowest point was finding out that my brother," Hiei's hand twisted under Yukina's, "I don't think I ever told you guys the details, but he was thrown out of our village when we were just babies. We have a rule, in my village. We do not allow men there. Once every hundred years, each ice maiden is blessed with a single child, a girl, which is how we keep our population steady. Sometimes though, those laws are broken.

"My mother broke that law. She went out, fell in love with a male demon and when she came back and had her children, she had two. Me and my brother. But he wasn't allowed." Yukina's voice was breaking, almost angry now. "Because of my mother's choice, because of no other factor than his gender, my twin brother was thrown out of the village, left to die." Swallowing hard, Yukina continued, "But I know that he's alive. I know that he's out there, and I'm going to find him."

There was a brief quiet, and then Yukina shook her head, eyes glittering with tears. "I'm sorry. That's not the point here." She let out a breath, collected herself and then went forward. "When Tarukane first took me, I kept hoping. Hoping for rescue. Hoping that someone would come and save me. And then –" Yukina closed her eyes shut tight. "I couldn't take it. I began to realize why my kinswoman had decided to shut themselves up in ice and snow, while they'd chosen not to interact with the outside world. I began to think that I had made a mistake, that maybe I should never have come out of my village."

A crystal tear snaked itself from Yukina's eye and clinked onto the hand that she held over Hiei's before rolling over onto Hiei's skin, leaving a cool trail that made the fingers twitch slightly.

"And then," Yukina's head lifted, her eyes opening, shining with overflowing tears, "And then Yusuke and Kuwabara showed up. For the first time in months, I felt some hope. Some faith. But even then, I was so sure that they were just going to be like the ones from before. I was sure that they were going to die for me, and I would stay trapped as Tarukane's prisoner. But they won, and you –" Yukina took a shuddering breath. "You came in, and you saved me. You took Tarukane down. You freed me from it all." Yukina shook her head. "And that is something that I will never forget.

"Hiei, I owe you a debt that I might never be able to pay. You gave me freedom. I have to try to return that to you, so please, please remember this, please remember all the people who care about you, who want you back with you. Remember how much we need you. Please come back."

* * *

><p>"<em>Please come back."<em>

_My sister,_ Hiei dimly recognized. _That is her tone. Why does she sound so sad?_

It was odd. She seemed upset by his decision to remain locked inside, but why shouldn't he? There was nothing tying him to the outside world. It was true that other people may have formed attachments to him, but he certainly had none to them, so it was in his best interest to remain inside. She should know that. There was nothing _he_ cared about outside.

"_That's not true,"_ came the voice, insistent, loud, and yet at the same time, somehow managing to be gentle and quite sweet. _"That's not true at all."_

* * *

><p>"That's not true at all," Yukina cried.<p>

Kurama started, nearly falling over at the almost angry tone in Yukina's voice. It was the first time that he had seen any actual rage from the demure girl. It was shocking.

"How can you say that?" Yukina continued. "It's obviously not true! We care about you, and you care about all of us. You are tied down firmly to this world. If you didn't care, than why did you come find me? Why did you rescue me? Kazuma told me that you weren't even assigned to the case! You came of your own free will. You came because you cared, and you wanted to do something about it.

"And I'm not the only example. There are so many more. You clearly admire Yusuke. You want to fight him again. You respect him. You think of him as a worthy ally. The same is true for Kazuma and Kurama. Especially Kurama! I have observed the way you two interact. It's very comfortable. You two could almost be mistaken for brothers." Her voice faltered on the word. "And you protected Riko. You rescued her just like you rescued me. You came here today. You didn't have to do any of that. It wasn't anything that you were ordered to do in order to clear your record. It was something that you chose to do because you care, because you are tied down to this world. This one, not the one in your mind. There are things here in the real world that you care about and people that care about you, and you cannot just stay in your mind!"

More tears, crystals, that bounced to the floor, fell from Yukina's eyes, though these seemed to be more out of anger and love than sadness.

"Come back," Yukina pleaded. "Come back."

* * *

><p>"<em>Come back."<em>

Those words again. They'd been said so many times. Hiei would have given anything for his sister, anything but that.

"_We love you, and you love us."_

_Love._

The word set off a flurry of images in his mind, everything from that detective and his brown-haired girlfriend to Riko and her strangely colored brown eyes to Botan and Koenma standing next to each other, supporting each other.

_Love._

Something was bubbling, and there was the noise of something breaking, falling to the ground.

Chains, gray chains cracking at the seams and shattering into pieces on the ground.

Hiei opened his eyes.

End of Chapter 80

* * *

><p>Badum psh.<p> 


	81. Chapter 81

**A/N: **I actually had this ready quite a while ago, but I forgot to update. Sorry guys. If I'm ever late, or you just want me to hurry up, just leave me a message telling me to do so, and most of the time, it makes me feel bad enough that I automatically go off and write. xDD Lots of love, all.

**Upload Date:** 7/8/13

**Next Upload Date:** Next week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 81

Hiei opened his eyes.

Hovering above him was a red-eyed, pale blue-haired young girl with delicate features, a short stature and a beautiful face.

His sister.

"Yukina," He breathed, and for a moment, Hiei was almost unsteady enough to smile – not a sneer, but a real smile, full of the joy and happiness that was supposed to make up a smile.

Yukina's eyes brimmed, but she smiled. "Hi, Hiei. Welcome back."

As he slowly brought himself to a sitting position, Hiei looked around. Kurama was standing on the other side, Riko at his feet, the girl unconscious. The redhead smiled, relief in his eyes and gladness. Hiei knew instantly that it had been Kurama's idea to use his sister to bring him out of the trance. He gave a subtle glare that made Kurama shook his head and look pointedly at Yukina, before exiting the tent.

_Dirty, little fox._ Hiei looked at his sister. He knew what Kurama's look had meant. Kurama's plans, as always, were never just one sided. He had brought Yukina there not only to wake him up, but also because he wanted him to tell Yukina the truth. That he was her brother.

It was something that Hiei had sworn that he would never tell Yukina.

And yet, it was something that he was almost willing to break, looking into Yukina's eyes. But this decision wasn't merely his own. He had made a promise to Shigure. He was never to tell. He could not tell.

So, instead of the words that would have made her burst into tears and laughter all at once, Hiei simply said, "Thank you, Yukina."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Yusuke hadn't been sure what to think when a person had appeared from the place where the shot had been fired, even less sure when it had turned out to be a girl who had waved wildly and then disappeared. So, he just stood there, as others were ushered quickly off the field, the healthy helping the weak back into sick tents. He stayed on guard, fairly certain that he was going to get shot at again, but nothing even came close.<p>

_It's like they're not even trying to hit me._ Which, he realized, after several moments, might be the case. Whoever had shot at him was obviously quite strong, and she had waved at him afterwards, a decidedly friendly gesture. It was possible that the movement had been to mark him and to keep anyone else from harming him. Maybe she was even coming down to make peace, though Yusuke couldn't help but snort at that ridiculous optimism. It was something that Botan would be sure to think.

"Yusuke!"

The detective glanced over his shoulder. Kuwabara was running towards him. "What are you doing here?" He snapped. "Come on." Kuwabara grabbed Yusuke's shoulder. "We have to get undercover. You can't just keep deflecting shots."

Without really thinking about it, Yusuke shrugged his sometimes friend, sometimes rival off. "Don't be dumb, Kuwabara. You saw that wave. Now I don't think she was inviting me out for tea and biscuits." He allowed a grin to fall over his face, the first one in a while and cracked his knuckles loudly. "It was a challenge. I bet she's coming down here right now. And I'm not gonna leave until I kick her ass."

Before Kuwabara could answer, a ladder appeared over the edge of the wall, and a figure, clad in a kimono began to shimmy down it. She accomplished the task in less than twenty seconds, hitting the ground with an air of grace that seemed impossible when hampered by so much fabric. Her hair and eyes, matching shades of royal purple, glistened in the light from the sky. The ladder disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and the woman turned so that she could face the battlefield proper.

A shiver went down Yusuke's back, but the grin stayed, excitement and anticipation pricking his insides. He had enjoyed the break from being a spirit detective, but there was something very satisfying about a fight, an itch that he hadn't managed to get rid of just yet. But maybe this time. Against this opponent.

She began to walk towards him, slowly, and it seemed like everything else on the field was pausing. Action seemed to stop, fights broken for the moment. It was almost as if she was waving a white flag, as if she was an ambassador, immune from –

There was a yell from the castle, strong, furious, and the woman barely turned in time to block an energy shot from one of Koenma's hidden spirit warriors. The yells didn't stop, erupting into curses and renewed attacks, each one stronger than the last.

For a moment, the woman looked at the place on her left forearm, where there was a burn mark from the attack, and then, she raised a hand. The castle went silent instantly, and although there were a few more stray attacks from the Spirit Army, in less than a minute, those ceased as well. They had all received some sort of message from their respective leaders that made it very clear: the woman was important. She was not to be touched by any of them.

Not yet anyways.

Kuwabara and Yusuke stood their ground, waiting until the woman was about ten meters away. She stopped there and bowed courteously to them both before raising her head and folding her hands together before herself. "Hi," She said, in a tone that belied her ladylike mannerisms. "I'm Gwen de Lire."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Sir."<p>

Kurama looked away from Hiei and walked over to the edge of the tent and then out of it. There was a soldier standing outside, stiff and seemingly more than a bit nervous.

"What is it?"

"Lord Koenma has asked me to inform you that Gwen de Lire has appeared on the battlefield." Another flicker of nerves. "She is currently facing off against Yusuke Urameshi and Kazuma Kuwabara."

"…I understand. Thank you." Kurama nodded and waited for the soldier to disappear before walking back into the tent. Yukina was talking, softly, something about relations and ties, something that Hiei probably really needed to hear. Kurama's mouth tightened. "Hiei," He called softly. "I'm sorry, but a situation has presented itself, and I believe that there is a task for you that is in dire need of doing."

Hiei glanced at Kurama and then looked at his sister for such a long time that Kurama thought that Hiei would actually go through with it and tell her the truth, but the moment passed. He nodded his head curtly, said something short and quiet to Yukina and then slipped from his cot. His balance seemed a little off at first, but that quickly corrected itself. Kurama had high hopes for Hiei's fighting ability. He hadn't actually been hurt physically, and the telepathic battle didn't seem to have consumed that much spirit energy, so Hiei should still be as useful to them as he was before. Most likely more so, given that he now had more experience.

"What is it?" Hiei asked tersely as they exited the tent and began to walk, fast-paced towards the main battlefield.

"Gwen de Lire has appeared. She seems to be challenging Kuwabara and Yusuke." Kurama veered to the side, steering Hiei over so that he avoided the actual battlefield by a few hundred meters.

"And you need me for? I assume that this wasn't because you want me to fight her."

"No," Kurama agreed. "I don't know why she's down here when it was obvious that she had the advantage, but that's not where I want you." He stopped, along the border of the medical tents and gestured. "I want you to use your Jagan and see where Chu and Rinku are. How close they are to bringing the humans in."

Hiei stared at Kurama and then nodded. He closed his real eyes and let his third one take over. The outline glowed through the white bandana covering his forehead, a mildly spooky reminder that he was more than the average demon. The light continued for a few moments before fading and disappearing completely as Hiei's eyes opened again. "Twenty meters from the surface, over that way." He jerked his head to the right.

Nodding, Kurama began to walk away. "I'm going to tell Koenma to prepare a troop to escort them home and deal with the issues of them being here in the first place," He said as he left.

Hiei crossed his arms. "And me, Kurama? I expect that you expect something from me."

A ghost of a smile crossed Kurama's lips. "Yes, Hiei. Of course. Chu and Rinku are going to come out of that hole in about ten minutes with Jin and Touya and however many humans Gwen de Lire has managed to kidnap. They will be taken to a place where they will be _physically_ safe from harm, under the guard of Spirit World. However, their spirit energies and lives are still tied to de Lire and her army. I want you to sever that bond." Green eyes grew very cold. "You tried once, and you failed. Yukina brought you back. She believes in you, as do I. Do not disappoint any of us. Find Lance, Hiei. Defeat him."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Almost there now," Jin announced randomly. His nose was twitching as he tilted his head towards the ceiling of the tunnel. "I can smell it. Fresh air." He shook his head. "Can't wait. Pointy ears like me weren't made for tunneling and what not."<p>

Chu casually knocked down the next portion of the tunnel, causing dirt to fall in behind them. "I think it's quite nice down here," He drawled, elongating his vowels. "Cool, damp – give me a few ladies, and this would be the perfect place to have a little drink."

"Hm." Jin shook his head again. "Myself, I prefer a bit of gin on a nice high tree. That's what really takes the ticket."

Before the conversation had a chance to lapse into comfortable silence, there was a cry of joy from in front of them, and then a faint glimmer of light appeared. Cheers began, along with a few sobs, though Jin assumed that they were from relief after having been locked away in what was basically a dungeon for who knows how long. He felt a bit of that himself. Wind demons weren't meant to be underground for too long. It made him feel cramped, trapped.

He was the last person out of the hole, not even looking back before summoning a wind to fill in the last vestiges of their escape route. As he appeared, the feeling of demon energy pricked up his ears. There was a demon close by, and it wasn't one of the three that he'd come up with.

Turning, Jin spotted a familiar dark-haired demon with crimson colored eyes and a scowl drawn over his features.

"Well," Chu drawled, pulling the word out, "If it isn't the squirt." He made to ruffle Hiei's hair, but the fire demon stepped quickly out of the way. "Still got a grudge against you, though I gotta admit. You fried up Zeru pretty nice. Admire that. Good technique. We should fight sometime."

Hiei grunted in response to the offer and looked at Touya. "Koenma is sending a troop to take the humans away." His eyes flickered over the group and settled on Shizuru for a moment with faint recognition in his eyes before turning back to Touya. "I need to find Grench."

Touya raised an eyebrow, but nodded in acquiescence. "Of course. He should be commanding the troops, so try the center of the castle. He'll be running messages from there. He's a telepath –"

"I know," Hiei interrupted.

"- so he doesn't have to move to give messages," Touya finished. "It should be fairly easy. Any demon in their can tell you where the war room is, though I don't know if they'll tell you. Try to be discrete until you get in there." He looked down at the spot where their tunnel had been and shook his head. "If I'd known that you were going to go in, I would have left it open. Still, go around back. By yourself and as a demon, you might be able to get in without attracting attention. Take down a few sentries and then move quickly. You probably won't have more than a few minutes before they realize that you're not one of them."

After absorbing the information and committing it to memory, Hiei gave a curt nod and turned on his heels. Instead of heading towards the castle, he walked back to the tent. Yukina was still inside, now sitting next to Riko, holding her hand, though there was no healing going on.

"Yukina."

The ice maiden turned and smiled warmly at him. "Hiei. Welcome back. How are you feeling?"

Swallowing, Hiei replied, "Fine." He searched his mind frantically for words. "Yukina. I'm going back to fight Grench. The one who…" He nodded at the cot where he'd been lying. Yukina's eyes went wide with worry. "I just… want you to know…" He hesitated, opened his mouth, closed it. Finally, he shook his head. "Your brother cares about you. Greatly. He…" Hiei swallowed again. "He loves you."

Yukina blinked at him, and there seemed to be some dawning realization in her eyes. She began to speak and then stopped, reading the discomfort in his eyes. Accepting the words as they were, Yukina looked down at Riko. "Her heart is very strong. She's going to be fine with some rest."

Hiei's eyes flicked to Riko, too. She was actually pretty, if one actually cared about things like that, not what one would call a beauty, but attractive in her own, idiotic way. And she was useful. She had proven that at least. He flexed his hand absently. He was even at the point where he might call her strong, at least mentally if not physically. Stubborn. But that could be a good thing.

"You're not going to lose." Yukina, again, voice soft and confident. "You know now. You know that other people care for you, and you care for them. You're not going to lose." She tilted her head to the side and gave a soft smile. "You have all of us to come back to."

It was a moment that Hiei would have liked to freeze in time.

He took a last look at his beloved sister and one at the human who might mean something and then turned and walked from the tent.

End of Chapter 81

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	82. Chapter 82

**A/N: **Omigod, it's actually on time. Okay, so I guarantee that the next chapter will take more than a week, because I'm going to be gone this weekend, and I"m not getting back until _late_ Sunday, so I'll be dead Monday.

**Upload Date:** 7/15/13

**Next Upload Date:** Next week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 82

"Gwen de Lire - That's their leader," Kuwabara hissed to Yusuke urgently.

Yusuke swatted at him. "I know that. And stop breathing in my ear. It's creepy." He turned to look back at Gwen, who had viewed the short exchange with some mild amusement. "I'm Yusuke."

"Urameshi," Gwen nodded. "Yeah, I know." She smiled. "That's why I'm here." Her eyes flickered past Yusuke. "I know that Koenma is over here somewhere. I know that he's watching you." She cocked her head to the side. "You are a figurehead. You protect all that is wrong with the world, and you are the leading representative of that wrong as well. A human. One who has, by luck and misguidance, managed to escape the normal weakness of your kind and progressed to a stage of some power. Unfortunately, like all humans, the weakness of your heart cannot be changed or hidden." Gwen lifted her hand, light glowing around her. "You will be the most important casualty of this war. Your fall will represent the fall of the humans and the coming to era of the demons." Her eyes were so bright they almost cast their own light. "Prepare yourself."

It was normally at times like these that either one of them would crack out a joke, but here, both Kuwabara and Yusuke felt the coldness behind the clear voice, the imminent danger, so serious that it extinguished any urges they might have had. Without even meaning to, Kuwabara stepped back. At some point, he might have been irritated that Gwen had singled out Yusuke and not him, but not this time. Right then, Kuwabara was rather glad he didn't have to fight the demoness.

"Kuwabara!"

Orange leapt up around him, and Kuwabara spun, sword in hand, blazing like a brilliant fire. He let it die slightly when he saw the redhead walking towards him. Kurama's expression was halfway between happy and worried, his eyes flickering between Kuwabara and Gwen. He gestured for Kuwabara to come with him, which, after a look from Yusuke, Kuwabara did so.

Yusuke was cracking his knuckles, a habit that Keiko detested, but one that he hadn't as of yet been able to give up. "Alright. Let's do this." He took a step to the side.

Gwen mirrored the move, but to the opposite side, and the two continued that pattern, slowly circling each other until they wound up at the same spot where they had begun. There, Yusuke paused for a moment.

Two conflicting forces were fighting it out in his chest. One of them, his fighter's instinct, the one that had gotten him into a million beatings that he definitely could have avoided, told him to just charge and deal with the consequences later. The other, surprisingly strong, was whispering in the background, so insistently that Yusuke had to give it a chance. It said that Gwen was different, that he couldn't just beat her and expect it to be over. Gwen didn't just want to win. She wanted destruction, annihilation, and that wouldn't be gone just by a simple beating.

"What's the matter?" Gwen taunted. Her ladylike mannerisms and Riko-ish way of talking were all disappearing, replaced in something dark, cold and furious. "I've heard the rumors. I've seen you fight. You don't hesitate. Are you afraid? Is it because I'm a girl? I didn't think you were so chivalrous."

Yusuke snorted. "Oh believe me, I'm not. That's Kuwabara."

"Then come at me." Gwen took a bold step forward, expecting Yusuke to mimic her.

Another snort. "What – so you can shoot me point blank?" Yusuke asked derisively.

"Exactly," Gwen said, leveling her hand at him. Purple fire blossomed at her index finger's tip, and a pulse of energy grew for a moment before exploding at Yusuke.

The two were close enough that even at Yusuke's fastest reaction time, his body was still scorched by the passing of the bullet. He hit the ground hard and then rolled quickly, throwing himself up. Gwen had lowered her hand, but the aggression seemed to have stayed, and he could feel more energy building up. In the back of his mind he thought, _Kuwabara would be so proud. I can actually sense someone else's energy._

"You probably shouldn't keep dodging."

_If I don't stop snorting, my nose is going to fall off…_ "Oh yeah? And why's that?"

Gwen reached up and touched the necklace nestled between her collarbones. "The Sanguine Necklace. You might of heard its abilities. With it, I have an unlimited supply of spirit energy. And I'm sure you realize how I'm going to keep up the strength to use it."

Yusuke's mind's eye flashed to the humans held captive, bound by Lance's spell.

"They're untrained, but I figure that each of them will give me at least two shots. I, myself, can keep this up for ten bullets – nine now – and then, if you're not dead…" Ice, ice, ice. "I'll start using their lives."

Without meaning to, Yusuke clenched his jaw.

"So. What will you choose, Yusuke Urameshi?" Fury, burning slowly. "Your life? Or theirs?"

She brought her hand up again and shot.

Instinct saved Yusuke, and he dove out of the way just in time, turning as fast as he could to keep Gwen in his line of sight.

She had lowered her hand again, but the look of rage had deepened, and Yusuke began to realize why people said that cold anger was more dangerous than a hot temper.

"Eight now."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Sneaking wasn't really Hiei's style. He much preferred to charge in and take down whatever it was he was supposed to be taking down as fast as possible. (Unlike sneaking, speed <em>was<em> his style.) So, it didn't really sit well with him that he was going to have to creep to the back of the castle and then pretend to be one of Gwen's toy soldiers in order to get to Lance.

Still, his determination to find Lance and destroy him (both for the humans and for revenge) was enough that Hiei actually made it to the back of the castle and was figuring out the best way to sneak inside when he was interrupted by a sentry calling out to him.

"Hey, you there! What are you doing out there?"

Hiei looked up, surveying the black-haired, red-skinned, dark figure peering down at him. There was an aura was energy around him, and a quick look inside his mind showed Hiei that he was using his demonic power as a mapping mechanism to check surrounding areas for foreign energy. Of course, in a war like the one they were in, all 'foreign energy' meant was spirit energy that did not belong to a demon. With an army as big as Gwen's, it was impossible to know everyone, and besides, what were the chances that a demon noticed would belong to the other side?

The demon let him inside, and Hiei stepped in silently.

"Why'd you go out anyway?" The demon asked. "What were you doing?"

And going along with the plan, Hiei should have answered with some lame excuse, like he got attacked and fell out or he was on patrol and was just getting back when the battle had begun and so had been locked out – he had been captured and had just escaped – something believable and short. But of course, Hiei being Hiei, he decided to drop the charade and continue on in the most forward fashion possible.

"Where's Grench?" Hiei demanded.

Frowning, the demon stepped back, "Not sure. He just came back a while ago. Whooped some telepath's ass apparently, but dunno where he went after that. Maybe the control room. Why? You find something important?"

"Who will know where he is?"

"Any of the telepaths… you should know this if you're one of us." The demon stepped back, uncertainty coloring his face magenta. "Are you – are you one of them?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Hiei replied, "Yes. Take me to Grench."

Backing up further, the demon shook his head. "You think I would betray my general? Never!" His eyes were blazing, something that Hiei hadn't really expected. "I would rather die first. How can you be working for those enabling weaklings?! Don't you have any pride as a demon? Don't you –"

Hiei moved quickly, elbow colliding with the demon's head in a loud crack that sent the demon into unconsciousness. Not looking down, Hiei moved past the prone body, continuing deeper into the castle. Touya had said the control room and something about the middle of the castle. Hiei attempted to activate his Jagan, but found it blocked. Grench must have been using quite a lot of telepaths and their power to keep such a tight leash on the castle. He'd have to make sure that he cut those off before he tried to attack Grench directly. But how to do that…

Slowly, Hiei turned his head from side to side, eyes going blank as he tried to visualize the castle that Touya had drawn for him so long before.

_If I were a commander, where would I place my telepaths?_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"What's wrong? What do you need?" Kuwabara asked, concerned. He followed Kurama as the demon walked hurriedly down the lane. "Did something happen? Are Hiei and Riko –" He stopped as Kurama held up a hand and then led him behind a row of tents.<p>

There was a large crowd standing behind the last tents, milling about, surrounded by Spirit World soldiers. Five stood out from the rest. Four of them were demons, but the last one held an aura that matched the majority of the crowd – human, and not just any human, but one that he knew very, very well.

Kuwabara's face lit up. "Shizuru!" He rushed to close the distance between them, arms thrown wide.

He got within thirty centimeters, before Shizuru put up a hand and stopped him in his tracks. "No hugging," She ordered. "I just got out of a tunnel, and it was quite dusty, and your clothes do not need any more wear and tear in them than they already have." She pushed Kuwabara back a bit and then fiddled absently with his clothing, dusting herself off at the same time.

"The dust wasn't our fault," Rinku protested. "You try digging a tunnel and not have any dust."

"I didn't say it was your fault," Shizuru replied. "I just said there was dust. You guys did… fine." She shrugged. "I appreciate the rescuing."

Kuwabara's eyes widened, and he stared at the four demons. "You guys rescued Shizuru?" He clapped his hands to the side and bowed deeply until his head was aligned with his waist. "As the only male member of the Kuwabara family present, I'd like to thank –"

Without a second thought, Shizuru reached out and whacked her little brother on the side of the head. "Stop. You're an idiot. I don't need you to thank anyone for me." She glanced at the demons and then turned her attention back to her brother.

Her brother, who had straightened after the whack on the head, was staring at her expectantly, and when she looked back at the demons, they were doing the same. "What?" She asked, finally.

"I believe you were going to thank us, little lady," Chu said with a drawn out grin. He sidled in close and slung an arm around Shizuru, who glanced down at the arm with raised eyebrows, but in the end didn't say anything or move away. "Personally, the only way I believe to thank someone is to take them out for a nice long drink and then maybe some –"

Before Chu could continue, Kuwabara thrust out a fist and came close to catching the man in the face. At the last moment, Chu pulled out of the way, stepping off Shizuru. Kuwabara glared at him. "Oi. Don't flirt with my sister. She's a delicate soul. She –"

"Enough," Shizuru ordered with another queenly smack to Kuwabara. She looked at Kurama. "I thought we were going back to the Human World now? Not that I didn't appreciate my stint here, but I think I've done the job that the little kid and Botan wanted me to, so I'd like to go home and catch up on some reading and smoking. Hard as it might be to believe, there wasn't that much of either in that girl's dungeons."

"Yes," Kurama said, with the barest hint of a smile. "Of course."

Grandly, Chu bowed and extended a hand towards Shizuru. "I shall take the honor of escorting the lady home."

Shizuru looked at the hand for a long moment and then rolled her eyes and took it. "I'll see you later, Kazuma. Don't get too much blood on your clothes. You're washing them yourself."

Kuwabara watched his sister walk off, mouth wide open.

End of Chapter 82

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	83. Chapter 83

**A/N: **Just typed like crazy just so I could finish this today. Hope you enjoy it.

**Upload Date:** 7/30/13

**Next Upload Date:** Next week

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 83

It'd been quite a while since Hiei had last gone on a killing spree. The last thing that had even come close was invading Valeina Natau's estates, and even then, he'd been much more focused on running and finding than he had been on just killing. It was a very different story now.

There was a pile of dead bodies, at least four in each, in every room or space that Hiei had entered. He was mostly targeting the telepaths, but after the initial attack that took care of the telepaths, he then had to go ahead and kill the rest of the group who had been with the telepath to prevent them from sounding the alarm in a non-telepathic way.

So far, he had been completely successful, his speed and the element of surprise affording him almost thirty kills with no wounds. Unfortunately, only seven of those kills had been telepaths and based on the pure amount of power that he had felt from Lance before, there had to be at least a hundred in the castle. And while he had been working on the ones who had been rather secluded from the main force of Gwen de Lire's army, it was inevitable that eventually, he would have to go out onto the turrets and reveal himself.

He frowned as he yanked his sword from the torso of a short, green demon. Two problems were currently hovering in the back of his mind, waiting to be dealt with or thrown into the garbage. Firstly, it irked him to have to go through this roundabout way of defeating Lance Grench, but he had to ensure his victory. Another loss was not something that he could allow, not when Yukina had been the one to bring him back, and if approaching cautiously was the way to win, he would do it.

As he headed towards the door, he stepped over the body of the guard that had been outside, and the second problem presented itself. The guard had not been someone that he had been meaning to kill at first. Hiei had offered the demon his life in return for a more detailed map of the castle and positioning of the telepaths, but the guard had said something about loyalty to his commander and then taken his own life before Hiei could lay a finger on him.

Loyalty was something that he had seen, something that he had encountered a lot after his alliance with Kurama and his first meeting with Yusuke, but it wasn't something that he was necessarily used to, especially in demons and especially not to such a degree. Every creature had its will to survive, and that will often took precedence over any oaths or promises that had been made to an outside force. Self-protection came first in all circumstances.

And the really strange thing about it was that it wasn't focused in just that one guard. He had asked the last member of each group he'd ambushed, and each of them had reacted the same way. True, none of the others had committed suicide, but even torture and psychological digging hadn't been able to reveal any information. One demon's head had exploded from the sheer force of blocking Hiei out (not a pretty picture in the least), and though it usually wasn't his place to wonder at the motives of his opponents, he was beginning to: why were these demons so loyal to Gwen de Lire?

It was something that he fully intended to ask Lance when he finally confronted him.

Hiei wiped his sword on the clothes of the demon on the ground and then sheathed it again. He stepped outside and looked around, before starting towards the West Wing.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"Wait!" Yusuke cried out instinctively as Gwen prepared another shot. He blinked in surprise when Gwen actually paused and then scrambled when he was silent for too long and she began to raise her hand again. "Uh – no! You – uh – you gotta at least tell me why you're doing this. I mean, come on. You got all these demons together to fight just 'cause you hate humans? That's –"<p>

"Humans are an abomination upon the planet," Gwen interrupted as she stepped forward. There was no hurry in her step just as there was no heat in her eyes. "They are worthless cowards who offer nothing to a world in which they try to strip everything from. Everyone knows that it would be better without them. Even members of their own have argued that it is true. There is no creature that is more destructive to the human. They even defy nature and attempt to kill their own kind. It is within the very fiber of every living creature to prolong its own race and genetic material, and yet humans do their best daily to destroy their kin."

It was an argument that Yusuke had actually heard before. It had never been addressed to him directly per say, but sometimes, when the TV was on, there would be some environmentalist standing before a crowd or a reporter, saying almost those exact words, berating the entire human race for their misuse of the planet that they were so lucky to have. Yusuke had never really paid attention before, never really been a fan of all that preachy crap, but in a different way and for his own reasons, he agreed.

Humans were very cruel to each other. They were selfish and cold and self-serving. They lived in their own little bubble and almost all the time, failed to see how their actions and choices affected those around them, and as a result, somebody was always hurt. And even when they did realize, most didn't care enough to try to change anything. Life continued on as it always had, centered around them and them alone. There was little room in a human's heart for caring.

And so, because of that and with the sight of all the cruelties that he had seen when he'd prowled around on the streets, because of what Tarugane had done to Yukina, because of all that and not because he thought that distracting Gwen would be a good way to delay her attacks, Yusuke's eyes misted over slightly and he replied, softer, almost to himself, "Yeah."

The response was not what Gwen expected. The darkness in her eyes was broken for a brief moment. "What?"

"Humans suck," Yusuke said with a shrug of his shoulders that suggested he was talking about toast rather than the likeability of his race. "It's true. We fight, we kill, we don't care about each other. It's true." He shrugged again and shoved his hands in his pockets. "And we're probably never going to change, not if we haven't for so long." He tilted his head to look at Gwen. "But I don't think that you can decide to kill an entire race just on that. We're not all bad. We care, too. We take care of each other, we fight for each other –" A brown-haired girl with warm eyes smiled at him in his mind's eye, and his voice dropped another notch in volume, "- we're even willing to die for each other sometimes, so –"

"You think that matters?" Gwen's voice curled with anger, eyes again overtaken by ice. "You think that just because a few humans buck the trend that it's enough reason to let you all live?"

"What, so you're gonna kill the good humans, too?" Yusuke snapped back.

"There _are_ no good humans," Gwen hissed back. "It's in _your_ genetic code –" She paused for a moment, her face twisting as if she was struggling with something heavy. The moment passed, and she continued, "Even humans who have good qualities have the evil in their genes, and when they reproduce, their offspring will carry those traits out. It's something that will last until the last human –" Her face crumpled again, Yusuke was struck by how small she looked, despite the power around her, "- dies."

For a moment, Yusuke thought that he could see the pain in Gwen surpass the hate. It wasn't _just_ anger then. It was something much deeper that had brought Gwen onto this path. If he could just get to the bottom of that, just get her to realize that it was wrong, then maybe –

Gwen lifted a hand and a purple light sped towards Yusuke. It was only on pure instinct that Yusuke managed to dodge at all, and even with that, the shot hit his left shoulder. There was a crack, and Yusuke fell to one knee. Something had fractured. That was for certain. Grinding his teeth, Yusuke forced himself to his feet and dodged the next shot.

"Demons are just like humans!" Yusuke yelled as the noise from the shot died down. There were shards of the ground raining all around him, dirt and dust having been kicked up by the bullet. "You really think that your kind is any better than us? They kill, they hurt, they fucking _steal!_" The words were partly bitter, but also a bit affectionate, with the image of Hiei and Kurama in his mind. "Haven't you ever heard of the Four Saints?! Or Raja? That dude kidnapped a little girl and held her for ransom just so that he could continue on his plan to conquer the whole world!"

"Shut up!" Gwen shouted back. Her power was now spilling out of her, purple light washing over her skin in an eerie coat that made her look ethereal. "Shut up! You know _nothing _about demons! You have been brainwashed and trained by Spirit World. Everything that you've been told and seen has been organized so that you would hate demons and thereby do the bidding of Spirit World without argument."

"The _bidding?_" Yusuke yelled back. He ran to the side and then shot in, pretending to throw a blow to Gwen's side. A wave of purple came at him, but since it was a feint, Yusuke managed to dodge easily. "What am I, a lap dog?!"

Plowing on as if he hadn't said anything, Gwen cried, "Demons are the only good that is in this world. They give their love freely –" Another broken look, as she swung around and tried to target him again, "They protect the ones who they love, they're loyal beyond all measure, they're honorable –"

"_Honorable?_" Yusuke snorted as he continued to run in a wide circle around Gwen. "Give me a break! One demon I know betrayed his own teammate and freaking _cut his head off_ because he thought that the other guy was weak! And that demon was one of the strongest we ever met!"

A snarl escaped Gwen's throat. "That demon was a defect! Demons are good creatures! They protect their own and those that they care about. They won't abandon anyone or turn on anyone, and they don't let prejudices get in the way of their emotions. They're accepting, and they care, and they don't kill the ones they love!" Her voice grew louder and louder as she spoke until, amplified by her spirit energy, it literally boomed over the field. Several loosely embedded rocks were thrown back from the sheer volume.

…_Yeah, this is definitely personal._ Yusuke continued to run, trying to stay fast enough to keep Gwen from getting a good shot or, hopefully, shooting at all. He wasn't sure, but she probably only had four or five shots left, before she began drawing on the humans, and he still had no idea, other than delay her, what to do. _Very personal._

There was something else niggling at him, too, something stirring in the back of his mind. Gwen kept saying 'they', which made perfect sense when she was talking about the humans, because, well, she wasn't one of them, but then, she kept using it for the demons as well, as if she didn't really belong.

Unfortunately, Yusuke could only concentrate on a few large things at a time, and between trying to figure out a larger plan, trying not to die and focusing on Gwen's motives, he really didn't have time to think about Gwen's speech patterns. He skidded to a halt and faced Gwen.

"Not all humans are like that," He repeated, trying to keep his voice gentle. It was a strange look for him, a skin that he hadn't really ever worn before. Keiko would no doubt appreciate it. "Not all humans are prejudiced. Not all of them will… try to kill the ones they love…" He let his voice drift on that, staring at Gwen, before asking, softly, "Is that what happened to you?"

Gwen's hand dropped to herself, and the burning around her intensified, but also pulled itself closer to her skin. She was shaking, eyes closed, her entire body vibrating, trying to maintain control, but failing miserably. The kimono was turning white from the power she had summoned, color bleaching from the fabric and disappearing into the air around it. Briefly, gold danced around her, but that dissipated.

Thinking that he had made some leeway, Yusuke took a step in. "Hey, it's alright," He said. "Something like that's not gonna happen to you again. Some humans are real dicks. I know. I've found a lot of them myself, but some of them – well, a few of them – are really good." Keiko reappeared in his mind. "They care, and I bet –"

Gwen's head snapped up, her eyes opening with a flash of purple. Her hand rose and before Yusuke could even react, a purple bullet shot, point-blank, ate the distance between himself and Gwen de Lire.

End of Chapter 83

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	84. Chapter 84

**A/N: **Hebeda. Sorry for the late update. All I got. :P

**Upload Date:** 8/20/13

**Next Upload Date:** We'll see how it goes.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 84

Even if Yusuke had been Hiei, it was unlikely that he would have been able to get out of the way fast enough, and since he wasn't Hiei, he barely managed to move before the shot hit him.

It was all light, mostly purple at first and then brightening into a bright white as the bolt began to dissipate around him. It was almost a dead center shot, just a little off to the side, so that the ends of his left arm were less affected, but still – pure energy, very close to point-blank and travelling at high speeds.

Yusuke blacked out.

When he came to, it was to black fuzz all around the edges of his sight. Accompanying it was some very excruciating pain, radiating outwards from his abdomen, and for a moment, his vision almost went dark again. The pain began to settle after a moment, and he could feel adrenaline in his veins, trying to counteract the pain, trying to get him to fight or run or do something to get to a safe place where he could recover from the blistering flesh his body had been transformed into.

Movement was minimal, not that Yusuke could have concentrated on movement even if he had been able to move. There was a pounding in his head from having to deal with the pain and the searing voice screaming at him to run as fast as he could or punch as hard as he could, because he needed to get out of there.

There was something else, too. It took Yusuke almost an entire minute to realize exactly what it was. A voice. Raised in high-pitched tones. Angry, bitter and, surprisingly, completely distraught. There was pain in the voice, not just pure anger. It tore through Yusuke's ears and hurt his brain almost as much as the shot had hurt his body.

" – think you know?! You know _nothing!_ You think that just because you've met some humans that haven't given you everything you wanted when you asked, you understand my hatred?! You understand nothing! A few good humans do not make up for the travesties that their race has created! Destruction of species upon species, life upon life, love upon love – what is there that exists that they won't break?! I have yet to see it, and I doubt that I ever will."

There was a pause, where Yusuke assumed that Gwen was taking a breath, because it was kind of hard to concentrate and focus his eyes when the pain still hadn't completely receded and now the additional noise was adding a throbbing to his brain.

"And you think that I loved a human? Are you insane? I could never love one of them! Demons and humans should never mix." Bitterness ran raw through her voice. "It will lead to nothing but tragedy. Demons are so much stronger, so much more enlightened. They cannot lower themselves to the filth that humans occupy. They should not. It is the equivalent of throwing gods down onto ants. There is no appreciation. Only fear. They cannot understand demons. Humans don't have the capacity to love them."

'_Them.' 'They.'_

The two words circled around in Yusuke's head, and in the back of his mind, he could hear Keiko trying to give him a grammar lesson, but he dismissed that for now. There would be time enough for the Keiko in his head to try to teach him when he wasn't injured and about to be killed.

"Do you know? Demons were once worshipped as gods by the humans. Those were the only conditions that could have led to peace from the humans. They fear their gods, and they left the demons alone. The demons accepted their position, if only to keep peace."

A probably terribly inaccurate story, but Yusuke was more concerned, once again, with the pronouns involved. More of the 'they' crap.

His head was clearing a little now, and the pain had faded a tolerable level, though that probably wouldn't last for any more than ten minutes. Which meant that he had that long to figure out what to do, cause if he didn't, he was going to be dead, and he highly doubted that Koenma would let him come back another time even if he did die in the line of service.

Yusuke tried to move his body and managed to sway back and forth slightly. He straightened his back a little and attempted lifting his head. Gwen was still shrieking, all the composure that had been present completely disappeared now that he had seemingly cracked some sort of shell. Her eyes were blazing, and purple fire was slowly digging a hole all around her, destroying everything that it touched and using up her spirit energy very fast. Yusuke's eyes fixed on that, and he knew that he had to stop it soon. He had to come up with an idea.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Yusuke found that he couldn't bring himself to concentrate. It was typical, probably one of the reasons why he'd always found school so utterly boring. When his mind found something to focus on, that was it, and right now, it had chosen the 'they' thing.

A little bit of the pain was still present, and it was probably that interference with Yusuke's brain that made him interrupt Gwen as she drew breath and ask, "Why do you talk like that?"

The question was so unexpected that Gwen actually stopped and stared for a second before snapping out, "What?"

"'_They'_," Yusuke said. The smarter part of his brain was trying to insist that he devote more attention to figuring out how to take Gwen down, but for the moment, the curious part of him was winning out. "You call everyone 'they'. It's weird. It's not even just the humans. I mean, yeah, sure, you call them 'they', but you also call the demons 'they'."

The words seemed to come as a blow to Gwen, who flinched and actually took a step back before realizing what she was doing and taking control of herself again. Emotions fought across her face – the rage and bitterness that she'd been showing before, all raw truth, the coldness that had been there in the beginning, and now something else, a shock and sadness that seemed to be true as well, though what they were for, he didn't know.

"What are you talking about?" Gwen snapped. "That has nothing –"

"When I'm talking about humans, I usually use 'we'," Yusuke interrupted again. "You know, cause I am a human and all. I use 'they' when talking about demons. But you – you use both. As if you aren't either of them." The smarter part of his brain was quieting now. Something big was coming up, supported by the turning of the wheels in his head and the look of tension in Gwen's eyes. "Human or demon." He repeated the words slowly. "As if you aren't either – human or demon."

He straightened his back a little further and finally came back to a full standing position. His back cracked, and he winced a bit before turning his attention back to Gwen. "That it? You don't belong to either, do you? So what are you? Some Spirit World sissy who got fed up with her job and decided to make some splashes yourself?"

Gwen's hands clenched in anger, and for a second, Yusuke was sure that he was going to get blasted again, but before that thought could boil for more than that moment, the fire around Gwen began to pull itself inside again, focusing itself inside her body. She still glowed faintly, but it was a much brighter and smaller light than before. Her face was regaining the calm that it had held before. There was some pain there, but it looked as if she'd come to terms with something.

"You think you're so smart, don't you?" She asked, voice cold. "Think that you've found some big secret or something like that?"

"…Nah, I know I'm dumb." Yusuke shrugged. "But even dumb people can see when something's wrong." He managed a razor toothed grin and had a brief flashback to one of the street fights that had gotten him into so much trouble. All action and smart-aleck. "So tell me. What are you? Spirit World Guard? Some kind of weird god or something? _Dead?_ You know, we met a dead person a while back, and I was dead for a while, and it does do some wonky things to you, so that would explain –"

"Enough," Gwen said, cutting Yusuke off mid-sentence. She ritualistically smoothed out her kimono, now bleached completely white, and then folded her arms in front of her. "I am none of those things."

"So what then?"

There was a moment of hesitation, and then Gwen raised her head. "I am the product of the gods and the filth of the world."

There was a moment as Yusuke's brain tried to comprehend the words. They were references to things that she had said earlier, he knew, but what –

"I," Gwen de Lire continued, "Am a half-demon."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Yukina had finished rearranging Riko's pillows and was preparing to leave the tent when there was a stirring from the cot and then a moan of pain. She turned in surprise, and upon seeing Riko rolling over, rushed to her side. Gently, she placed a hand on Riko's forehead and asked softly, "Riko?"<p>

Riko remained still for a moment and then stirred again. This time, her eyes fluttered, closed and then opened again, scanning the room with the weariness of a sleeper awaken from a long nap. "What's happening? Where'd this tent come from? Why are you here? Ah – no offense, Yukina, I just have no memory of your arriving or anything really after being whacked in the head by that stupid demon. What's his name." Riko closed her eyes, frowning and then opened them in triumph. "Hiei! That's it. The idiot smacked me."

Smiling, Yukina tucked a strand of Riko's hair back. "Yes, I heard about what happened. You were very brave, Riko, staying in enemy ground for so long. Everyone was very worried about you."

Managing a faint smile, Riko closed her eyes again. A moment later, they flew open. "Wait. Did you say 'was'? What's happening now? The humans – Shizuru!" She clutched at Yukina in something like panic, as if pure emotion could rescue them.

"I believe that the demons Touya, Chu, Rinku, and Jin brought them out, and Hiei…" Yukina's eyes knit in worry. "Hiei was sent off to fight Lance."

"Oh." Riko loosened her grip and relaxed back into her cot. "Why do you look so worried? Are you doubting Hiei's ability? He would hate that you know. It would completely kill his pride." She smiled a bit dreamily at the thought. "It'd probably make his head explode. That'd be fun to see, wouldn't it?"

That brought the smile back to Yukina's face. She shook her head. "I have complete faith in Hiei, but…" She sighed. "Kurama tells me that he's already lost to Lance once." She lowered her eyes. "He brought me here to help heal Hiei."

"Was he that badly hurt?"

Shaking her head, Yukina replied, "Not a scratch on him. They had a – a telepathic fight, I believe Kurama called it." Her grip on Riko's blankets tightened. "It was… terrible. Hiei was trapped within his own mind. He was… so lost I thought… I thought he wouldn't come back."

Riko studied Yukina's face, withdrawn, scared, but also… clearer. She tilted her head on the cot. "Yukina… do you –" She hesitated and then shook her head. "Never mind." If she didn't know and Riko accidentally revealed it to her, she could only imagine the horrible things Hiei would make happen to her.

Hiei. 'Trapped in his own mind'. And he was going to fight the guy who'd put him in that situation, who'd wrecked her.

_Oh lovely. Now I'm doubting him as well. That's just great. If Hiei were here, he'd be glaring so hard that his eyeballs would probably fall out. All of them. Even that irritating fake one. _The thought, disgusting as it was, brought a small smile to Riko's face, and she let out a breath.

"He's going to be okay." The words came out before Riko really had time to think them over, but when she did, she continued on. The look on Yukina's face was reassuring. "Really. Hiei… I can't imagine him losing to anyone once, so it must be one hell of a rare thing, and twice… he would never live it down. He won't let it happen. Lance will underestimate him because he lost the first time, and Hiei's gonna get an advantage, and boom!" Riko snapped with her right hand, the most vigorous action she could do in her present stage. "He'll get thrown down, and everything will be alright."

Yukina gave a little smile and then nodded her agreement. "Yes. I believe in Hiei." Her eyes softened.

Riko closed her eyes briefly and then took a deep breath. She let it out and then flexed her hand. "Okay. I think it's time for me to get up."

"Oh, I'm not sure that's a good idea," Yukina said, putting a hand out to stop Riko from getting up. "I tested you while you were asleep, and you're not healthy. Would you like me to heal you?"

"No," Riko said after a moment of testing herself. "I think I can manage it myself." She closed her eyes, and purple sparks began to bubble slowly, the first appearing over her hands and then disappearing under her skin. They went first for her head, which was suffering from a mild concussion from Hiei's blow.

The spark dove for the injury, encircling the spot and then –

"_Ah!_" Riko's eyes flew open, and she jerked up, the pain sparking a cracking headache that felt like she'd cracked her own skull.

"Riko!" Yukina reached forward. "What's wrong? Riko?"

Riko lifted her hands and stared at the purple sparks on them, breathing hard. They were very sparse, but still aggressive. "_Shit._"

"Riko?" Yukina asked, concerned.

"God _damn_. I can't even –" Riko dropped her forearm over her eyes.

_Again._ Riko squeezed her eyes shut. _Again._

_Here we go again._

End of Chapter 84

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	85. Chapter 85

**A/N: **Friday the 13th! Happy luck everyone!

**Upload Date:** 9/13/13

**Next Upload Date:** Two weeks

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 85

Yusuke blinked once and then again. And then a few more times as silence built on the field. Gwen had not looked away from him. Her facial expression had not changed. In fact, nothing about her had changed, but Yusuke was starting to see her differently. She no longer looked as invulnerable and strong as she had before. Even the color of her hair, which was undeniably inhuman, somehow looked more black and less purple now. She seemed shorter, less perfect, more –

_Human._

"My mother was a demon. My father was a human. They met thirty years ago. She was trying to fulfill a ritual for her family. He interrupted the ritual – ruined it, really – a thousand year old ritual, and one human manages to destroy it just by being there." Gwen closed her eyes and shook her head, a bitter smile flitting over her face as if she could remember the moment herself. "They… fell in love."

She swallowed, opened her eyes and stared off into the distance. The sounds of fighting could be heard, screams, war cries, commanding yells, and attacking armies. Part of the castle wall had been invaded, and soldiers were now attempting to flood the area before the demon army got their defense back together. Still, it was all a bit of a background noise, almost comforting if you forgot the fact that it was the sound of people fighting and trying to kill each other.

"They stayed together for a year, secretly. A year and a half into it, my mother got pregnant. That was the first time that his family met her. They smiled and laughed and loved her… because they thought that she was human. When I was born…" Gwen took a shuddering breath. "They were all present at the birth. I wasn't a normal baby. I was… not human."

Gwen licked her lips and then held out her hand. Briefly, the skin on the hand up to mid-forearm turned pale green with traces of tribal markings over the fingers. It hovered briefly and then returned to a glowing pale white. "That is what I looked like when I was first born. I was rippling between human and demon as I was born. The human midwife screamed and ran. The family could not believe it, and… they left me. They forced my parents to leave, too. My mother came back to me later, took me back to the Demon World. We lived with her family for five years. Over five years."

"When I was six… she took me back to my father. We met with the family. They –" Gwen's voice shook. "They accepted us back within them. I met my father. It was… very happy. For almost a year." Gwen lowered her eyelids, shielding her eyes with her eyelashes. "But it was a false happiness." Her eyes closed completely, squeezed shut with memory.

Her control began to slip as she continued her story, voice beginning to shake.

"They were… _pretending…_ They wanted to lure my mother back by acting friendly. They wanted to bring her back and bring me back and – and –" A single tear rolled down Gwen's face. "My mother and father met at the place where they had met for the first time. They wanted to show it to me, but I was bored. It was just a little clearing where the moon fell perfectly, surrounded by oaks. There was nothing there. But to them, it was something very special. I couldn't… I just ran around. I was – out of sight when they came."

"The entire family. My father's entire family came out with all the weapons they could get. They surrounded the two… My mother went first. My father tried to save her, but his family held him back. He was beaten. She was… shot. Blood. The ground was covered in it. The grass turned – turned black from it. And then afterwards – they wanted to know where I was. They wanted to… do the same thing to me as they did to – to – They beat my father. They wanted to know – blood – he screamed so much – he – they killed him." Gwen's eyes opened, and she found Yusuke's. "They killed their own family because they had so much hate for someone that had never done them any harm whatsoever. Hate and prejudice and so much –" Her mouth trembled, but then she shook her head.

"Do you understand now?" Gwen glared at Yusuke. "Do you understand why I hate humans so much? They killed not only my mother, but also my father, one of their own! They can't even differentiate their _hate!_ It's all the same to them. They don't change, not ever, not –" Her voice broke. "Do you understand? If you do, surrender yourself. Let me kill you in front of Koenma so that he knows that his most important ally, his most famous ally has come to my side. Surrender."

Frowning, Yusuke held up a hand. "You – wanna kill every human in the entire world, and yet… you're half-human yourself?"

"That's right."

"And your demons are okay with that?" Yusuke asked. He felt a small triumph building up. There was no way that the army knew, and he could use that against them. If they were fighting against humans, how would they react if they knew that their leader was –

"They are," Gwen said, and Yusuke immediately felt his headache coming back. "They've all known since the beginning. They have agreed with it."

…_Great. That's great._ Yusuke shook his head and then winced as it spun dizzily. _There goes one strike._ But fortunately, that wasn't all he had. "That makes no sense. You think that the world is going to be perfect if there are no humans left, but –"

"But there's me," Gwen interrupted. She gave a little smile, pained, tight. "I'm part human, so as long as I exist, this world can never be rid of the abomination that is the human race." She shook her head. "Don't worry. I have already thought of that." She raised her head, a gesture of pride. "When I kill the last human in the world, I will kill myself."

Very, very slowly, Yusuke took a breath and let it out.

_Shit. How do I deal with that?_

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"General, are you alright?"<p>

Lance started, but recovered quickly. He turned from the glass ball that he was surveying the battlefield from and glanced back at the demon who had spoken. Their eyes met briefly before Lance looked back at the glass ball. "My telepaths are disappearing. I don't know what's happening to them. It's – frustrating. Someone is taking out my telepaths." He passed a hand over the ball.

The scene changed to show a corridor where several bodies were strewn. Lance's eyebrows raised. "Well. Literally taking out, it looks like." He placed both hands on the sides of the table and stared down at the image.

For a moment, everything stayed still, and then, the image began to change. A dark haired man walked backwards into the shot, and one by one, the bodies came back to life until they were at the position they must have been before the man had attacked them.

Lance let the image run forwards and then backwards again a couple times until he finally paused the image on the young man when he first came in. Dark hair. Spikey. Crimson eyes. Short torso. Dressed in black and armed with a katana sword. And, most informative, a third eye on his forehead, glowing bright even through the white bandana over it.

…_Huh._ Lance leaned forward. _Thought I dealt with this one already._ He frowned. He didn't normally see his opponents in telepathic battles get back on their feet. At best, they managed to find the strength to take care of themselves, but in general, they never even stood again, and not a single one had managed to actually recover.

Well, no, that wasn't true. There had been one. One very strong-minded, but telepathically-weak human. She just didn't have enough training. Lance had actually liked her very much, appreciated her spunk and seemingly endless bravery as she defied all orders. She had been one of the first who had been captured, but in the end, she turned out to be too much trouble. So, even though Lance had a soft spot for the girl, he had obeyed the order from Gwen, when it came, to kill her. The body had been burned and the ashes buried.

Waving his hand, Lance let the image in the crystal ball fade. Seeing things that had happened in the past was relatively easy, but he didn't want to waste his power, especially since it looked like he had another fight coming on. "Why do you think people come looking for a fight when they know that they're going to lose?" He asked absently.

The demon - he had dark hair, slightly pointy ears, but other than that, he very much resembled the average human male - looked surprised at the question, but he answered respectfully, "I would imagine that it's because they're invested in the fight, sir. And I believe that going down fighting is more honorable than doing nothing at all."

Smiling, Lance agreed, "Yes, that is the general view." He shook his head. "They should really learn though. They should really understand that there really isn't anything they can gain from it, except a lot of pain."

The demon nodded his head, but there seemed to be something in him that disagreed. When Lance glanced his way, he noticed that emotion and raised an eyebrow. Lazily, he said, "You don't think so? Why?"

After a moment of hesitation, the demon replied, "No, sir, I don't." He paused again and then continued, "Spirit World has been established for thousands of years. We have been around for - most of us - barely three years. Yes, we have the humans, but Spirit World is not stupid. They would prefer to save an entire world rather than a few hundred humans. When it comes down to it... they will let the humans die. Then there will be nothing stopping them. We will lose hundreds. So will they, and when this is over, they will jail whoever is left. Nothing will have been accomplished except the ruining of lives and the worsening of the relationship between us demons and Spirit World."

The words seemed to take a lot out of the demon, who shrank into himself when the last one had left his mouth. He seemed quite scared of retaliation, but there was no sense of regret from him.

For a long moment, Lance stared at him. The customary smile that always played itself across his face had disappeared. He looked older, more serious and infinitely more scary. His lips had tightened into a strict line, because, of course, the words rang true to his ears. He had been terribly optimistic, and he knew that Gwen believed in the war with everything in her soul, but really, there was no chance that they could ever achieve a lasting victory over Spirit World. They were too strong, too established, and not even all the demons in the world agreed that they should take Spirit World down. And yet...

"That's not true," Lance replied bluntly. And then, inwardly, Yes it is. He scowled at the thought. Gwen wanted this. She needed it. Annoyed, he glared at the demon. "Why are you here?" He demanded. "If you don't agree with what's happening so much, why did you ever join? Why are you doing this?"

In a tone that suggested that the answer should have been obvious, the demon replied, "For the same reason you're doing this, sir." He bowed as he retreated towards the door. His eyes flashed up at the last moment. "I'm doing this for the commander."

Lance watched the door close. Some fights were impossible to win. And when that was the case, it was better to run than to risk everything just for image or something else equally ridiculous. Everyone was born with a certain amount of talent. Everyone was born with a certain amount of skill, a certain level to which they could improve to. It all stopped at some point. Lance wasn't one of those people who thought that he could beat those odds and do something that was unlikely. He fought fights he could win. He ran away from fights he couldn't.

_And yet,_ he reflected, _I'm fighting this fight. This... terribly impossible fight._

A ghost of his usual smile slipped across his face.

_Oh Gwen. Look at what you have us doing._

End of Chapter 85

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


	86. Chapter 86

**A/N:** ...So yeah, I'm trash. I'm so sorry! Last autumn, I started college, and then I just completely got caught up in it. But. Here is finally the next installment. If you guys want to scold me, I totally understand, but if you guys wanna stick with me, I have so much love and affection for you all. Thank you everyone who has ever read this/will come back to read this. I love you all!

**Publish Date:** 6/24/14

**Next Upload Date**: I'm working on it right now. I'm going to work tirelessly. x.x

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 86

The messenger bowed low and quietly excused himself, leaving Koenma alone. He was standing at the edge of the battlefield, observing everything that was happening. Messengers were coming up to him all the time, informing him of different things that were happening on different sides of the field. Most of it was news of targets that they had taken down, people that had fallen, different events taking place, but this one had been different. It had much larger repercussions than just the field they were on currently.

"_You cannot allow a few hundred humans and demons to deter you. People are depending on you. You cannot allow de Lire to pass through the wall. It would be disastrous."_

Koenma clenched his fists. Above all else, Spirit World existed to keep balance between the worlds, to keep things safe, to judge and rule. Most of the time, Spirit World did not interfere directly, though of course it was necessary in certain times – such as now. And unfortunately, when they did interfere, it was often quite drastic.

"_I have faith in you, my son. You will make the right decision."_

It was always the good of the many over the good of the few, always an entire species and world over a few select. There was no favoritism allowed.

Koenma had had his job for a very long time. He knew what his father wanted. If Yusuke and Hiei could not come out on top in their fights, then he had a very clear duty.

_The good of the many always wins out over the good of the few._

He and King Yama both had an extraordinary amount of power – more than enough to destroy Gwen's entire army. But of course, with that power came a lack of control. If Koenma chose to destroy Gwen's army, everyone in the vicinity would also die – all the demons and also all the humans and Spirit World soldiers. And even if it did not, even if Koenma could have destroyed Gwen's army without touching his own people, he would still have been hesitant.

It had been centuries since Koenma had last had to wipe out so many lives – centuries since the last big interference.

_I just hope that it doesn't come to that,_ Koenma thought to himself grimly. He gazed towards the castle, where he knew all his best and brightest warriors were doing battle. _Because if it does…_

He would not disappoint his father. He would do what was required.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Despite the fact that she was trying to kill his entire race, Yusuke could not help but pity and even admire Gwen just a little. Her sheer dedication to her cause was certainly noteworthy. Sacrifice was no small thing, but it was common enough. There were always martyrs for every revolution, but there were not many people who believed in their cause so much that they considered themselves 'evil'.<p>

She was straightening herself now, and her eyes were more determined than they had been before. "All humans are evil, myself included. Look at what I tried to do to you. I tried to make you choose between yourself and the lives of others to try to break your soul and self-esteem." Gwen shook her head slowly. "Now, please. Let's finish destroying the humans."

Yusuke scrambled backwards, trying to push himself to his feet as Gwen stepped forward and began to gather her energy for another attack. He would not survive another direct shot.

"There's no point in struggling. Accept your fate." Gwen walked forward at a slow, leisurely pace, keeping in perfect time with Yusuke's desperate struggles backwards. "This was how it was always meant to end. You will not win here, Yusuke Urameshi. Your army will not win here. You have been lucky so far to encounter only the weaklings who could make it through the curtain, but here, now, you are in demon territory. Spirit World has forgotten what real demons can do." She waved a hand around her, drawing Yusuke's attention to the carnage on that battlefield around them. "They have true power. They will destroy this army, and then I will lead them into the other world."

"No," Yusuke growled through gritted teeth. "No."

Visions of his town burning, people dying in the streets, his mother falling to the ground with the life draining from her eyes, Keiko running, running, tripping – Gwen was raising her hand now, a glowing purple sphere pulsating at the tip of her index finger – Keiko being chased, Keiko's throat being slit –

"_No."_

Gwen raised her hand and shot.

In the purple light, Yusuke could see his mother, Keiko, Shizuru, Kuwabara, Koenma, Botan –

"_NO!"_

Blue light exploded from Yusuke in an incandescent ray, covering the entire battlefield, vaporizing Gwen's bullet and knocking the half-demon back with a beautiful explosion.

Gwen instinctively threw up her arms as the light pushed her backwards. "What…" Gwen squinted through the light, trying to see what had happened to her target.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"I thought it was you."<p>

A small smile curved Hiei's pale face up. _Finally._ He let the demon he had just killed drop to the ground, straightened his back and turned to face the tall, dark and surprisingly handsome demon who had come to confront him.

"But I told myself that it couldn't be you," Lance said. He folded his arms and leaned against a wall in a bizarrely classic "cool guy" manner. His eyes were gazing into the distance rather than directed at the opposing demon. "After all, I already beat you. I locked you inside your own mind and fears and emotions." Lance lifted his head and raised an eyebrow at Hiei. "How'd you get out? You were too weak to fight me off in the first place. How were you strong enough to break yourself free?"

Hiei gave Lance a condescending smile. Blood was dripping from his sword, and his own blood sang with the adrenaline gained from straightforward killings. "Maybe you were just too weak to hold me." He turned the blade of his katana, gave it once over with his eyes and then tossed it to the side.

Lance watched the sword clatter to the side in surprise, raised an eyebrow and then looked back at his opponent. "Confident, aren't we?"

"Yes," Hiei replied, as blunt as possible. He reached up and untied the white bandage that hid his third eye from sight. It began to glow as the fabric was removed, opening slowly in a haze of white light. "I'm going to win."

"I am pretty sure," Lance said, matching Hiei stride for stride for condescension, "That that's what you thought last time, as well." His eyes began to glow as well. "Normally, I wouldn't waste my time with you a second time, but you've killed quite a few of my telepaths. It's time for a bit of revenge."

The smile grew wider and somehow much colder as well. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

The expression unnerved Lance for some reason, but he quickly dismissed the feeling. "Very well then. Let's go." He raised a hand, fire flickering up all around him. It was matched by a rising of energy around Hiei's small, but solid frame. "The telepath's battle: part two."

-Line

It took less than the blink of an eye for the background to change from a rather bloody room covered with dead demons to a white plane that stretched on for eternity in every single direction. Different from last time, Hiei noted, but then, last time, he had no idea what he had been doing, and Lance had molded that world. Things would have changed this time around. He had gotten a feel for the way this new world, created by their minds battling it out, worked. This time, he would have some say in how to mold it and what would inhabit it.

He stretched out a hand and black fire spilled out of him, curling over the white scenery like ink creating a work of art. Black trunks with tangled roots split the hard ground, leaving dark cracks that spread in all directions. Limbs without leaves sprouted, growing longer and longer until they touched the trees closest to them, invading space until everything was a mass of crisscrossed darkness.

The black forest spread for what seemed like forever before Hiei felt something at the edge of his power. Another force, pushing back at his, was trying to destroy the edges of his forest.

Though he knew that the fight that was coming was going to be hard, perhaps harder than anything that he had ever experienced, Hiei could not help the smile that was appearing on his face. There was the normal amount of cynic superiority in it, of course, as there always was, but there was also a quiet confidence that was not rooted in his normal view that all other creatures were beneath him, but in something new. Something that came from inside and outside and that, though he was never admit it, warmed his heart.

_Time for some revenge._

Hiei lowered himself so that his hands could brush the jet that was the floor he had created and then shot himself forward, creating a straight trajectory towards the feeling of other in the distance. As he ran, the trees seemed to move themselves out of the way for him, sliding in and out of existence as he passed around and through them, appearing and disappearing as needed.

When he felt himself approaching, Hiei lowered a hand to the hilt of his katana and slid it from its sheath. It came out with a silent breath of air, and when he glanced at it, Hiei noticed that in this dream state, the katana did not seem to reflect his face. Instead, there were other things on its shiny surface, colors that seemed out of place in the black and white world, but that reassured him nonetheless. There was Yukina there, in the fold of the blade, her smile and bright crimson eyes proof that innocence and goodness still existed. There was Kurama, red hair, in a garden seemingly – the human-lover was too fond of plants sometimes – and Yusuke in another flash. There was Riko surrounded by amethyst sparks and even Kuwabara, yelling fiercely in a way that belied his fragile human body.

He gazed at the sword for a moment and then turned his attention back to the rapidly approaching 'other'.

Coming up in front of him was a city.

Like his forest, it was made out of coal-dark strands of energy, though he knew his own power well enough to tell where his power ended and Lance's began. It was widespread, tall buildings reaching up to the endless sky. Everything was sharp and pointed, and demonic influences had taken over most of the buildings. Almost every single one sported a gargoyle of some sort and a strange mix of gothic and modern architecture.

There was an abrupt line where the city and the forest met. Right there, everything seemed to be pressed into an unbreakable glass wall. Tree branches were bent. A building was cut right in half. Nothing crossed from one side to the other.

"Not bad." The voice came from the city. Hiei slowed himself to a halt as Lance revealed himself at the end of the city, just on the other side. He took his place opposite him, standing between two giant trees. Lance gave him a wintery smile. "Definitely a lot better than last time. You really are remarkable. No one has ever recovered before, especially not enough to actually come back and fight me again. If you were a real telepath, I would definitely try to recruit you."

"I don't need to be a real telepath to destroy you," Hiei replied, matching Lance syllable for syllable in cold confidence. "Even with this implanted eye, I am a hundred times more powerful than you."

Lance chuckled, a deep throaty noise that held absolutely no humor whatsoever. "Is that so? Well, we'll see now, won't we?"

He stepped up to the line between the worlds, and almost simultaneously, Hiei did the same. Lance raised his hand. Hiei raised his sword. Both crossed the barrier…

And it shattered.

With a silent boom, the wall exploded, and the two worlds collided. Hiei swung down at Lance, who blocked the attack with his own sword. His was made from demonic energy and flickered at the edges as it caught the steel of Hiei's katana and forced it back.

As the two clashed, their worlds did the same. Tree branches lashed out, crashing into metal and stone walls and crushing them with overwhelming force. The black forest writhed and grew, seeking to wreak as much havoc as was possible. On the other side, the city did much the same, though it did with much more calm and grace. The metal and stone proved their resilience and became harder and sharper themselves, so that when the boughs hit them, they sliced right through. The ebony wood fell to the streets of the city and writhed about, half in pain and half in defiance at having been cut down.

"You know," Lance growled as he pressed his blade against Hiei's. "You could still give up. I won't hurt you that much. And you're a demon. I'm sure that Gwen could find somewhere for you after this is all over."

"You're too kind," Hiei replied. He broke the standoff and lunged forward.

Lance dove to the left, but was still cut with a glancing blow. He hissed and took several steps back, examining the wound while still keeping his guard up.

As he moved back, Hiei moved himself forward. With each step that he took, the forest behind him shifted with him, trees and roots and branches swallowing up skyscrapers and stores and sidewalks.

"Once I would have taken your offer with no questions asked. Humans," Hiei said the word as if he wasn't sure quite what to do with it. "I thought they were pathetic."

"But not anymore?" Lance asked, with a sneer.

That same smile from before, the quiet, confident one, appeared on Hiei's face again. He lifted his sword, bent his knees and prepared to charge. All around him, he felt his trees prepare for another clash of wills. In the flat sheen of his sword, he could see the faces of the people who loved him, could feel their strength around him.

_Not anymore,_ Hiei thought, and then he charged forward.

End of Chapter 41

* * *

><p>...More apologies. More love. Please forgive me.<p> 


	87. Chapter 87

**A/N:** Yay, for becoming re-obsessed with Yu Yu Hakusho!

**Publish Date:** 7/2/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 87

Lance had never experienced a lost telepath's battle before.

It was not as bad as others made it look.

He could still think coherent thoughts, and there even seemed to be an option to wake up. _Should I take that?_ Lance wondered to himself. He debated the problem for a few moments, before deciding,_ Yes. I should. Gwen might need something._

He opened his eyes.

There was a throbbing in his forehead, painful enough to mess with his vision briefly, but nothing debilitating. He still had an ability to form coherent thoughts, and he could even control his actions. Lance shifted his head slightly and caught sight of a form at the edge of his eye.

"Why'd you go easy?"

Hiei glanced down at his defeated foe and then away. "I expect the overgrown baby will want to speak with you later, and I have no wish to explain to himself why you're an empty husk."

Lance let out a mix between a cough and a laugh. "Softer than I thought. You're not afraid of me getting up and wreaking havoc after you leave me alone?"

Hiei scoffed. "Leave you alone? I'm afraid you've mistaken me for one of your incompetent fools. I am taking you with me. Even if I didn't, it is not as if you have enough power to do anything." He put out a hand, as if testing the buoyancy of the air. "The telepath network has broken. You've no more use here."

_No more use…_ Lance closed his eyes and let out a long, long breath. His skin felt parched and dry, and there was none of the fizzing that normally dictated the state of his power. There were no voices in side his head that connected him to his soldiers – Gwen's soldiers. He had failed.

_Sorry, Gwen. I couldn't do it. I'm sorry._

There was no answer. Of course not. His power was gone.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Gwen stumbled back, blinded by the sudden burst of brilliant blue-white light that had come from Yusuke. Her own energy bullet had dissipated in the face of such power, and she now found herself being smothered by the fierce light.<p>

"What –" _What is this –_ It wasn't possible for the human to have so much power left. He had fallen. He had taken her energy bullets head on. By all rights, he should have been unconscious if not already dead… what was going on?

She fell back and hit the ground hard. The shock went through her entire body, spiking from nerve to nerve and then to her brain which decided that it needed a brief intermission. Her eyes closed.

* * *

><p><em>The first time she had encountered the Human World, she had been absolutely amazed. But then, of course she had been. She was a little girl. Everything was amazing. Everything was new and spectacular and gorgeous. She loved the way the moon felt on her skin. It was somehow different from the one in Demon World, less powerful definitely, but somehow closer and more intimate. She loved the feeling of grass between her toes. There was little worry of killer plants here. She could be allowed to wander without fear.<em>

_Her parents had been so happy to be reunited. Gwen thought that she had seen her mother happy before, but now… she was convinced that the only thing brighter than their smiles was the sun – and that only by a little bit. They spent almost every waking moment with each other and with her, holding hands, talking, laughing, playing with her… It was utter bliss._

_And her father. It was her first time really meeting him. He was so tall and strangely powerful, despite his lack of any special powers. He had the most beautiful eyes, a strange indigo that was so dark it was almost black. At first, she had been scared of this tall stranger that had so enchanted her mother, but when his eyes had softened with love and affection, she felt herself drawn in. She felt herself loved. It was the happiest moment of her life, that first time she ate with her mother and her father together and experienced her family whole._

_Almost every minute of that year had been perfect. Her father's family had given her gifts and beautiful clothes and companions to play with –_

Gwen stirred uneasily. That was not something that she thought of often – the kindness of her father's family before the slaughter. She told herself that it had made it worse when their betrayal eventually surfaced. Truth be told, she had loved the Human World once, because it had been destroyed for her. It was not something that she liked to think about.

_Her mind drifted now to another memory. She was playing in the garden with a little girl her age. They were tossing pebbles into the small pond, trying to skip the pebbles as they had seen the older children do on a lake they had visited recently. It was hard to get the motion right, but whenever one of the girls did it by chance, both would cheer and jump up and down, ecstatic at the success._

_They had been very good friends, Gwen remembered, almost inseparable for her stay in the Human World._

_But she was still bad,_ Gwen retorted stubbornly. _We fought all the time. She was still a cruel, selfish human, even at such an age._

A deeper, quieter voice whispered, _You were selfish, too, at such a young age. You didn't understand the world. Neither did she. And isn't it true that no matter how often or hard the two of you fought, you became friends again in the end?_

The demoness found that she had no answer for the soft inquiry. As if to save her from that line of thought, her mind began to wander again, moving towards yet another scene from her childhood.

_It was the night where all her happiness had been ripped out, and her parents had been left to bleed on the ground for hours as they searched for her before being burned in a pyre whose flames seemed to lick the very sky._

_But little her didn't know that yet. Little Gwen thought nothing, but of the sparkling moonlight, silver and gorgeous and beautiful and full. Little Gwen danced in the light, between the trees, her lovely purple hair gleaming in the radiant beams._

_She stepped barefoot into a thick patch of grass and fell to her knees, giggling softly to herself as she took in the scent of grass dampened with dew drops. It was cold, but refreshing – her favorite feeling in the world at that time._

_When had that moment changed?_

_Had it been when she had heard the screams?_

_No, it had been sooner than that. She had _felt_ something change in the air, heard the silence that had fallen before that first terrible cry of betrayal._

_They had captured her mother in an ancient spell that prevented her from using her powers from protecting herself. Her father, they simply held. And then, ritualistically, they killed them._

_Yes, _Gwen thought. _That was how it went._

The memory did not fade, however. Her mind did not move on.

_Her little childish eyes stared at the scene, fixating on her dying parents. But other things were happening as well. There was viciousness in the killers, the perpetrators, but there were bystanders as well and protestors. They held back the murderers and were thrown back, hurled and spat at. Tears streamed down their faces as they screamed at the injustice of the betrayal –_

_Why didn't I remember that before?_ Gwen wondered. There was a clenching feeling around her heart, and the human boy's words seemed to be echoing in her soul now – not all humans are bad. They're just like demons that way.

* * *

><p>When she opened her eyes at last, she found herself lying at the spot where she had fallen. It did not seem like much time had actually past, but to Gwen, it felt like it had been months reliving her past, digging up the memories that had been so long repressed by rage and a wish for revenge.<p>

The human boy – Yusuke Urameshi – was sitting close by, one arm wrapped loosely around a propped up leg. He seemed to be thinking. The strange burst of energy that had surrounded him and briefly incapacitated her was gone. He looked like nothing more than an ordinary adolescent boy now.

"My mom is a drunk." His words were very quiet, and Gwen was quite uncertain who he was talking to: her or himself. Nevertheless, she listened as he continued, "She can't control herself. I can't remember passing a single week as a child when she didn't have a glass in her hand. Sometimes, she would drink so much she wouldn't even be able to remember who I was. I raised myself a lot. It sucked. I wasn't what she wanted me to be, so I got yelled at a lot."

He was staring at the ground as if he could see his past in the packed dirt. "But she loved me. She worked horrible jobs and hurt herself daily so that she would have enough money to take care of me and make sure that I never went hungry. No matter how drunk she got, I always knew that eventually she would come back and she would love me. She wasn't a perfect human being. She made so many mistakes, but she tried so hard and she wasn't bad."

There was such passion in his voice as he spoke. It was extraordinary to hear.

"My best friend – she's such a pain in the ass. She would always bother me to do useless things, like go to school or keep my nose clean, always nagging. But you know, she cares about me more than almost anyone else in the world, and I know that she would give anything to keep me safe. She –" Yusuke bit his lip, an unusual gesture from him, "She loves me. And I love her." He pressed his head to his hand. "I love her so much. I love her even if she annoys me sometimes. I love her even if she's not perfect or kind all the time. Because she's human. Just like the rest of us."

Yusuke now looked up so that he could glare fierce into Gwen's eyes. "Humans aren't evil. There's no such thing as evil. There is no one in the world who is completely good or bad. Everyone is a mix of the two. Some might show their good parts more than others and some might show their bad parts more than others, but everyone has the good and the bad. If you looked at anyone long enough, even the most evil person in the world, I bet that you'd see something about them that didn't fit, something that was too 'good' for them." He shook his head, that intense ferocity not lessening a bit. "So you're wrong. Humans are not all bad. Humans aren't even close to being all bad."

He took a deep breath. "And yeah, it sucks. It sucks what happened to you and your family, and there's probably not an explanation for it that'll make any sense to you, because they probably were being dicks, but they aren't the entire human population. They aren't even close to it. Even something like that doesn't make it okay to try to kill every single human in the world."

He heaved a sigh and then got decisively to his feet. He held out a hand to Gwen, who looked at it with surprise. "Come on," He said. "Get up. We might as well finish this." Gwen blinked up at him. "Well, I doubt that what I have to say has changed your mind. You probably still want to fight. So I'll fight you. Just – please don't kill the humans that you have right now. If you beat me, you can kill them all anyways, so let's have a fair fight."

Something tugged at the edge of Gwen's mouth, and before she knew it, she was laughing. It started soft at first, but then grew in volume until Gwen was almost bellowing with amusement. Yusuke stared at her, completely bemused by the entire situation. His helping hand fell back to his side, and he just looked at Gwen, unsure of what would happen next.

When at last Gwen caught her breath, she first lifted her hand to wipe tears from the corner of her eyes. Whether they came from sorrow or mirth, she was not sure, but it did feel as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She pushed herself to her feet and raised a hand. When she spoke, her voice was magnified by a hundred times, echoing throughout the battlefield.

"My soldiers, I, Gwen de Lire, your commander, order you to stand down. This is the end. I order you to surrender to the forces of the Spirit World. This is the end of the war. I am sorry for having put you all through this, and I thank you all for your loyal service. You are now released."

She lowered the hand again and then brought both hands to her neck, where she gracefully undid the chain of the necklace and offered it to Yusuke. Her eyes were clear and strong, and there seemed to be a new light in them.

"I admit defeat." She paused and then smiled.

"Thank you."

End of Chapter 87

* * *

><p>If you guys want more interaction with me, you can follow me on <strong>Tumblr<strong> at **esanabridges** (my personal blog) OR on my writing blog **harbingersofdiscord** (haven't yet started, but plan on it during the fall. Follow for more updates!).


	88. Chapter 88

**A/N: ^^**

**Publish Date:** 7/9/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 88

Riko spent the first two months after the Averted War, as it was being called (or the Almost Averted War by the cynics) in Spirit World's hospitals. After the first day, she was transferred to a non-intensive care unit, where she basically just rested. The healers that visited her were unknown – new, fresh meat. The senior healers were needed elsewhere, for the more serious matters than a human girl who was not even critically injured. They were afraid to meet her gaze and whispered about her behind her back. Riko could not actually hear most of the words, but she felt the curiosity and the eyes watching.

It was only right for them to talk. She was a healer herself, after all, and yet when the other healers came to put their power in her and ease her pain or discomfort, her purple sparks rose and fought them off, snapping at the intruders. Everyone fought, but healers understood the reflex of fighting against foreign presences and could generally control it well. It confused them that she seemed to have no control, as the purple light attacked everything it could get its hands on.

Even her, if it had the chance.

So the healing process was slow and difficult, and most of the time, Riko was left by herself to heal naturally, without the help of spirit energy. She secluded herself most of the time, taking few visitors. She agreed to see Botan only once before she claimed that she was too tired to deal with it, and though she spoke with Kurama a few times, all visits slowly ceased as Riko drew within herself.

She had nightmares often, but declined many a healer's offer to talk about them. In the end, just as there was taught about mandating a therapist for the girl, Riko emerged from her cocoon, seemingly fully recovered. Her checkup turned up completely clean, and her bright eyes and gentle sarcasm were reassuring, if a bit surprising given her previous state.

* * *

><p>"I'm fine," Riko repeated for what had to be the umpteenth time. "Botan, seriously. I was just tired. People tend to be when they're held captive for over a week and have to defend themselves against telepathic attacks that entire time. I'm sorry I didn't let you visit me more. I'll try to remember to take your comfort into account the next time I'm in the hospital." She raised her eyebrows and then smiled to let Botan know that she was kidding.<p>

The blue-haired girl pouted. "Well, it's nice to see you on your feet at least. Everyone was getting so worried."

"As they should be," Riko replied. "I am a very important person."

_That_ made Botan roll her eyes and give Riko a tight hug before rushing off about her activities.

Riko smiled and waved at her until she had turned the corner. Then the smile faded, and Riko let out a sigh. She lifted her hand and looked down at the lines on her palm. A small purple flame came to life, and Riko breathed out. She glanced down at herself and directed the flame towards a small scar that she had gotten from some debris. The flame went, landed on the scar and then –

_Zap!_

Though the pain was only akin to that of an annoying bug bite, Riko could feel her heart drop to the floor. She closed her hand, and the flame vanished.

_Damn._

"Riko!"

The human girl flinched in surprise at the call. She could feel purple bubbling up inside of her, but she repressed it with all her strength and turned, a smile already plastered on her face.

It was Kurama, Hiei in tow a few steps behind him. The redheaded demon was smiling widely, while Hiei was wearing his customary scowl. The two stopped in front of her.

"Have you finally recovered then?"

Riko nodded, her smile becoming genuine. "Yeah, I feel a lot better. I'm sorry for worrying everyone." Hiei coughed. Riko rolled her eyes. "Not you, of course, Hiei. How could you ever think that I would think that you would ever bring yourself down to worry for me?" The sarcasm dripped naturally from her words, and for a moment, Riko felt almost normal.

Kurama chuckled. "I missed this."

"So did I." Riko looked back at Kurama. "How are you guys feeling? How are Kuwabara and Yusuke? Is everyone doing okay?"

"Yes, they're fine," Kurama replied reassuringly. "I believe Kuwabara is studying for finals, and Yusuke is supposed to be doing the same. Both of them have recovered from their battles. I am quite well as well, but then I did not really have much of a role in the actual battle."

"Well, I'm sure you were at Koenma's side the entire time, keeping him from blowing all of us the fuck up," Riko quipped.

That brought out another chuckle from Kurama, who looked at Riko with real fondness. "Something like that," He agreed. There was a short beep from his pocket, and Kurama sighed. "I'm sorry, Riko. We have a meeting with Koenma, and I'm afraid that he's getting impatient. I'll call in on your later. Would that be alright?"

Before Riko could answer, yet another voice joined the fray.

"Riko!"

_Oh yay,_ Riko thought as she looked away from Kurama and back at whoever was saying her name. _Someone else who knows me._ She smiled politely at the ogre who was rushing down the hall. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kurama slip to the side and start leaving. She waved discreetly, before looking back the ogre, who was now next to her.

"You're out of the hospital!" He exclaimed, beaming.

"I am, indeed," Riko replied.

"That's so awesome. We were all really worried, and also, it was hard to find a really good healer. The others are all so stiff and pokey." He pointed at a bruise on his elbow. "I've had this for a while because I didn't wanna go get checked out by any of them. Do you mind fixing it?"

The smiled vanished off Riko's face so fast it looked like it had been wiped clean. Down the hall, Hiei stopped walking and looked back, frowning at the sudden darkening of Riko's mind. Though he could not make out individual thoughts, it was clear that something was wrong.

"I… I'm sorry… um…" Riko looked down. "I'm still kind of weak, and I don't think that I have enough power… I'm really sorry – another healer –"

"Oh." The ogre seemed to deflate for a moment, but quickly puffed right back up. "Naw, don't worry about it. I'll just wait for you to get better. You're the best healer of them all anyways."

"Oh. Thank you," Riko said, her voice a bit weak. She swallowed. "I – uh – I really should go home and lay down or – I'll see you later."

"Yeah, 'course!" The ogre said back enthusiastically. "Bye, Riko! Feel better!" He waved her off cheerfully and then trundled down the hall.

"Hiei?"

Hiei glanced back at Kurama, who had just turned the corner and realized that his demon friend was no longer with him.

"What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

Hiei looked down the hall, where Riko's scent still lingered and then shook his head. "It's nothing."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>It was fairly easy for Hiei to find people who were not actively trying to hide their location. His Jagan eye had been implanted for that very purpose after all, and it did its job very well for the most part. So it had not been difficult to track Riko down later that evening, after the meeting with Koenma.<p>

Why he was doing it was anybody's guess. He told himself that it was because he needed her to stay healthy in case he needed his arm fixed again, even though it had not given him a problem since the initial healing, not even when he had used the Dragon of the Darkness Flame against Zeru. He told himself it was because Kurama would worry about the human girl and that he would pester him into finding Riko anyway, so he might as well do it earlier and be prepared for that circumstance. He told himself it was because he was curious about her behavior that afternoon, which was unusual even for her. The girl healed everything. She healed even when it might hurt her. Any reason for her to refuse had to be a big one.

Which, of course, was the reason he was currently perched up in a tree, partially hidden from sight by the branches, watching as Riko walked between gravestones.

They were in a cemetery in the Human World. It seemed ordinary enough, lines and lines of pale gray headstones, most with a few simple sentences carved on them, some with just a name. There were offerings on a few, but many were bare, the final resting of place of those who had been forgotten by the living. Along the edges of the graveyard were piles and piles of fallen leaves from the trees that surrounded the place.

In her left hand, Riko was holding a bouquet of blue roses. They were wrapped in plastic and held together by string. The light autumn wind in the air carried the scent of them to Hiei's nose.

As Riko walked further and further into the cemetery, Hiei slipped from tree to tree, silently keeping pace with the girl. She finally stopped at a gravestone near the end. It had a row all to itself, and its gravestone was larger than most, taller than Riko herself.

* * *

><p>"Hi, Ono," Riko murmured. "Did you miss me?" She stretched out a hand and touched the gravestone, closing her eyes as she did so.<p>

_She was crying, crying so hard that the tears were actually dripping off her face and onto the body of the man before her –_

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry – It's all my fault, I'm so sorry –"_

_A tight hand gripped her and tight words from barely living lips hissed back at her, "Don't be a fool. It's not your fault. It's mine. I shouldn't have come. I was a fool. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Riko. It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself, you hear me? Don't…"_

_Tight to loose and then no force at all, and the hand dropped to the ground, and she screamed at the sky, and purple leapt from her, burning the air clear around her as she sobbed into the chest of the one person in the world who had truly cared for her – the man that she had killed._

Riko's knees buckled, and she fell to her knees. There were tears in her eyes again, and she removed her hand from the headstone.

For almost a minute, Riko let herself cry, but eventually, she wiped her face and let out a long, winding breath. She unwrapped the flowers and then arranged them carefully on the grave before crossing her legs and looking up at the headstone.

"So I did it again." Riko shook her head and leaned back, tilting her head until she was staring up at the partially cloud-covered sunset and the brilliant colors that arose from that cover. "I… knew that this was going to happen. I'm pretty sure I did. I should have known, anyways. It hasn't been _that _long. But… I did it anyways. I did it anyways, and now… it's happening again."

Riko squeezed her eyes shut tight and scowled. "I just… I thought that it would have gotten better. I mean, I've been doing this for so long now, and you would think that I would be able to change without this happening, but apparently not. Apparently, there's just nothing for it. Apparently, I just have to pick one or the other, and I… I really…" Riko pulled her hands to her face. "I really can't keep doing this, Ono. I love you. I love you so much. You were the only one who thought I was actually worth something, and I want to make you proud, but I can't do this anymore."

The tears were coming in droves again, and Riko's voice quickly dissolved into a blubbering mess.

"I ruined everything. I should have tried harder. I should have studied more. I should have done something! I wish that I could go back and change it all, and then you would probably still be alive, and you could help me. You could teach me something else that I could use, and I could find some way to balance between the two, but – there's nothing. I couldn't – I couldn't even get the Sanguine necklace, and now… now I'm just here, and I can't do anything. I'm not Keun. I'm not a healer. I have nothing!"

Riko leaned forward and let her tears fall on the gravestone.

"What do I do? Ono… what do I do?"

End of Chapter 88

* * *

><p>Follow on <strong>tumblr<strong> at **esanabridges** or **harbingersofdiscord** (for my upcoming writing blog.)


	89. Chapter 89

**A/N: **Look at me being all consistent. Tragedy, thy name is... something. Cheers.

**Publish Date:** 7/16/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 89

"What are you talking about?"

Riko started at the voice and tried to jerk up and spin around at the same time. She ended falling flat on her face and bruising her nose. Wincing, she pushed herself up and gingerly felt her nose. It did not feel like it was broken or even bleeding, which meant that she was probably okay, but still, it hurt quite a bit. She looked up and around for the source of the voice.

It was Hiei, standing not five meters away. Riko felt her mouth open in shock, but quickly clamped it shut. Even in her state, she knew that it was probably not wise to give Hiei any ammunition to use against her. She quickly straightened and wiped her face, before replying calmly and dryly, "I'm obviously talking about the end of the world and how it is _completely_ my fault and how terrible I feel about that circumstance." She widened her eyes innocently. "Really, I feel terrible."

Hiei glared and crossed his arms.

"Did you follow me here?" Riko asked. She rubbed her wet palms against her jeans and then crossed her arms as well. "Lemme guess. Koenma or Kurama or Botan thought that there was something wrong with me, so they sent you out to find me?" She shook her head. "You can tell them that they have nothing to worry about. I'm fine."

Instead of responding verbally, Hiei just continued to glare at Riko.

Riko made a face and then glared back. She held Hiei's gaze just long enough to get uncomfortable and then shook her head, letting out a long harsh breath as she did so. "You know something? I might as well tell you. It's not like you can think I'm _more_ pathetic than you already do." She threw out one hand, gesturing quite violently at the headstone. "This is Ono Isshi's gravestone. If you dig up the earth beneath us, you should find a very nice coffin made out of cypress wood, inside of which is my deceased uncle."

"Now," Riko continued, her voice now dripping with something between derision and deep pain, "You might remember me mentioning his death before to Kurama. Of course, you might also not, because let's be honest, you really don't care about me or any of the other humans who are beneath your notice. But just to refresh your memory, I told Kurama that he was dead and that he died because a demon caught him and killed him. But, guess what?" Riko threw up her hands and gave the most witheringly mocking smile she was capable of. "That was a lie! You wanna know what actually happened to him?" Hiei's mouth tightened, but he did not move. "I killed him!"

…_What?_

Hiei's eyes slowly widened, and he stared at Riko with real shock, and in her eyes, he could see true agony, the tortured soul of someone who had managed to cause the death of someone who had been important to her. He had never expected to see such a look from the simple healer, and for the first time, Hiei realized that there was something deeper past the girl's eyes than the calm, snarky exterior that she showed to the public.

Riko smiled, a manic, grief-stricken expression that spoke more to her sorrow than a million tears could have. "Oh yeah, surprising, isn't it? Bet you didn't expect that!" Her voice shook as she spoke, and she had to dig her nails into her skin to keep from crying again. "Believe me, I was surprised, too. You wanna see something?"

Without waiting for an answer, Riko grabbed a fist-sized rock from the ground and slashed it viciously along the length of her arm, leaving torn skin and a thick trail of blood. "This looks nice, doesn't it? Just a flesh wound and just gotten, so probably not infected. It should be simple for someone of my talents to heal up, shouldn't it?" Riko raised her other hand, and purple sparks sprang to life, dancing across her fingertips.

Forcefully, Riko grabbed the bleeding arm and shot sparks at it. The sparks zipped over and then exploded as they touched the wound. She bit back a scream as the pain increased and blood began to pour more profusely over her arm, hand and onto the grassy ground. Still, she kept the sparks going, though whether it was to make her point more easily understandable to Hiei or to punish herself for past errors, she could not begin to know.

Finally, when she began to actually feel the pain through the adrenaline, Riko stopped. She withdrew the sparks, and the pain began to fade under the racing drug in her heart. The blood flowed sluggishly now, and she knew that she should probably wrap something around it so that she could try to avoid the dizziness that blood loss would eventually lead to, but for the moment, she contented herself with just squeezing the wound shut. She tilted her head back up to look at Hiei.

He was staring at her, staring, not glaring, and there was something about his expression that she had never expected to see from him. Was it sympathy? It could not be, not from Hiei, but there was something there definitely...

And just like that Riko's rage fell through. There was no reason for her to be mad at Hiei. It was not Hiei's fault that any of this had happened. It was hers. She had only herself to blame, and there was nothing to be gained for blaming or yelling at Hiei.

She let out a deep, long breath and looked back at the ground. "I'm sorry," She muttered. "I… I'm just mad at myself. I… I made a mistake – I didn't realize what would – and then he died, so…" She swallowed and then breathed rhythmically, calming herself.

Riko turned back to the gravestone on her knees and gazed up at the structure, her eyes glazing over with a soft agony. "Ono was attacked by a demon. That part is true, but he didn't die. He managed to escape, but he was really badly hurt… so he came to me. He, of course, knew that I had been trained as a healer, and he figured that I would still be able to heal." Riko pressed her lips together. "Unfortunately, he figured wrong."

"I was… barely 15, but it had been five years, five fucking _years_ since the last time that I had healed." A tear tracked its solitary path down Riko's cheek as she stared blindly ahead. "I hadn't had to in all that time, because no one could hurt me. Keun was a perfect protection. I was never hurt. I never had to heal myself. So I didn't. For five years." Riko shut her eyes and bent forward. "And see, I'm not one of those people who can heal _and_ fight. I'm not. I can only do one or the other. It was never a problem before, not for the first 15 years of my life, because for those years, I only did one or the other. I healed or I fought. There was no overlap."

"So when Ono came to me, and I tried to heal him…" Her grip on the cut arm increased in pressure. "_This _happened. My spirit energy… it just spilled into him, and it made everything a hundred times worse." Her head was almost touching her knees now, as if she was subconsciously begging Ono for his forgiveness. "I killed him. I tore him open, and he… died, and it was my fault. I killed him."

Riko stayed bent for a long time, not crying this time, but still mourning. Her arm throbbing as her heart tried to beat blood through it. At last, she lifted her head and looked back at Hiei. The sun was almost completely below the horizon now, and there was blood on her jeans and shirt, blood staining the ground that she knelt on.

"Well?" She asked, with a bitter smile. "Anything?"

Hiei gazed at her and then spoke, "I've seen you fight and heal."

A soft, breathless kind of laugh escaped Riko, completely devoid of any humor. "Oh. Yeah. My 'fights'." She mimed air quotes the best she could without relieving pressure on her wound. "Those aren't as bad, because they aren't as long. 15… 30 minutes… that's okay. I can switch between for short periods of time and still be able to heal, but staying as Keun for too long makes it… bad again. Last time, it was five years on and off. This time, it was an entire week, constantly as Keun. It's not five years, but it's the longest that I've ever been Keun." Her grip tightened until she winced at the pain. "When I woke up, I tried to heal myself… I couldn't do it. My spirit energy wouldn't even let other people heal me, and whenever I tried to help myself, it attacked me. That's why it took so long for me to leave the hospital. I kept trying and trying, but… nothing. I couldn't heal." She looked down at the blood. "I still can't."

The words seemed to echo, even though, in the grassy, headstone-filled field, there was nowhere for them to echo off. The silence that followed lasted for a long time, long enough for dark to really start settling in, like an all-encompassing cloak.

"It was so hard last time." The words were whispered so quietly that it was a good thing that Hiei was a demon, because had he been a human, he would have missed them altogether. "I didn't understand what was wrong so… after I buried Ono, I tried again on myself. I could remember the actions and the motivations to heal, but I couldn't get my energy to work right. I used to have so many scars from those months. Every time I went out to hunt, it got worse, and eventually, I realized that it was Keun that was keeping me from healing."

Riko leaned back and stared up at the sky, which was beginning to show the brightest of stars. The moon hovered bright, beautiful, a little more than half-full. "It was so hard. It took me months before I was able to heal well enough to work on other people again, and…" She closed her eyes. "When Koenma gave me the job, I thought that I would never use Keun again, but… there were times when I had to protect my teammates… had to fight to keep them alive… The first time after… after not being Keun for so long… I was so scared when I changed back. I was so sure that I would never be able to heal again. I cried for hours afterwards when I realized that I was still okay. I realized that I could still go treasure hunting."

Still holding her arm, Riko reached out to brush the tips of her fingers against the gravestone. "I always really loved it, and Ono loved talking to me about the treasures that he found or that I found… And I wanted to make Ono proud. He was everything that my parents weren't. He was so kind and so supportive, and he cared for me so much. He taught me… everything. I just… I just wanted to make him proud. Especially since I'd…" She bit her lip. "…I thought that I should continue his legacy. I wanted that. I wanted it so bad."

She whipped her head around to look at Hiei, a mix of heartbreak and defeat in her eyes. "It went so well! For almost a year. It went so well. Just little things, little treasures – nothing that required me to be Keun for long. But it was good. It helped me to keep Ono in my mind. And then… then, the Sanguine Necklace!" Riko laughed, a hollow hiccup of a sound. "Ono had told me so many stories about that one. It was his ultimate goal to find that necklace, and I had a chance to get it…" Riko shook her head and looked back up at the sky. "I probably should have let you or Kurama go, but… I wanted it so much. I wanted to bring it here. I thought… I thought that somehow if I got it, it would make me less guilty. I thought I could stop hunting all the time to find something to make him happy, but all I got was this."

A purple spark, malignant and cold flamed into existence above Riko's head. It fell and fizzled, extinguishing itself just before it touched Riko's forehead.

"I didn't get the necklace, and now I have to deal with this again… and I'm so scared. It nearly tore me apart the first time. I almost killed myself. I don't… I don't want to do this again." Riko clenched her teeth, tightening every muscle in her body in an attempt to keep herself under control. "I don't…" She mouthed at the sky.

There was nothing to say, or if there was something, Hiei could not find the words in his mind. The silence stretched out longer and longer, until the first stars shone brightly, and the moon had moved to the center of the sky above and the lesser stars were peeking out, leaving the sky dotted with brilliant white lights.

Finally, Riko pushed herself to her feet. "Sorry," She murmured, meeting Hiei's eyes briefly. "I'm sorry for subjecting you to this. Will you please… and I know that what I want must mean so little to you, but please? If you would not tell Kurama or Botan or whoever asked you to follow me…" She shook her head. "I would really appreciate that. You can tell them that they don't need to worry about me. I did this before. I can do it again." Her mouth was firm, and her words were firmer, even as her eyes whispered, "But I don't want to."

Riko smiled at Hiei, a version of her normal smile, just a bit sadder and grayer. "Thank you for listening. Bye, Hiei." She walked past the demon with small, but sure steps, her head held proud, her hand still compressing the gash on her arm. Hiei had no doubt that she would spend the next week explaining the wound off as an accident that she was too tired to heal properly even as she tried to send the purple sparks in to do her bidding and prolonged the issue.

He was unable to tell her that no one had sent him, that he had chosen to find and follow her all by himself, by his own whimsy. He doubted that she would believe him if he had been able to speak – he could hardly believe it himself, but either way, he was unable to say the words… unable to say anything at all as the young human woman walked calmly away, her blood still soaking the grass at the foot of the grave.

End of Chapter 89

* * *

><p>Follow me on tumblr at <strong>esanabridges<strong> (personal) or **harbingersofdiscord** (for my upcoming writing blog).


	90. Chapter 90

**A/N: **Actually had this ready yesterday, but forgot. .

**Publish Date:** 7/24/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 90

There was a knock on the door. Koenma looked up from his paperwork, almost grateful at the chance to take a break. "Come in!" He called, as he shifted his done pile to the right edge of his desk.

The door opened cautiously, and Riko poked her head in. Koenma smiled in welcome as the girl walked in. Botan had told him that she had left the hospital about a week ago, but he had been so busy that he had been unable to schedule a meeting with the girl. "Riko!" He exclaimed cheerily. "It's good to see you on your feet again. Botan was beginning to get quite worried about you."

"Botan worries a lot," Riko said dryly. She said in the armchair in front of Koenma's desk and leaned back. She looked to be very healthy, Koenma noted, dressed in long, dark jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. There was a lack of color in her face, but then again, Riko had never really been rose-cheeked. She still looked a bit thin, but then again, it had only been a week since she had left the hospital. That was only to be expected. She had not had time to build herself up again. "I'm fine. How are you? How are things with de Lire and that whole thing?"

Koenma sighed and shook his head. "Not going well, I'm afraid. In the past month alone, there's been three attacks on Spirit World by low-class demons who are trying to 'rescue' their leaders. De Lire really managed to gain quite a loyalty among her followers. It is difficult to keep them down. They don't even believe that De Lire surrendered willingly. Most of them are quite certain that we enchanted them or something, and they want to free her from it."

"Well, that's not all that surprising. Spirit World wasn't really popular as it was. I don't think that capturing one of the strongest demons would make you guys more popular."

Koenma squinted at Riko. "'You guys'? You're one of us now, Riko. You cannot deny that."

"No," Riko replied, "But I can try." She smiled cheekily at Koenma and then asked, "So how are you dealing with it?"

There was a moment of hesitation, and then, lowering his voice, Koenma murmured conspiratorially, "I'm thinking about reaching a settlement with her… instead of simple prison sentence." He leaned forward. "This isn't something that is set in stone, so I'd appreciate it if you did not spread it around. We are still in the very first stages of speaking about the matter."

Riko nodded and mimed locking her mouth and throwing away the key. "So why'd you wanna see me then? I doubt that you want me to do any diplomatic work."

The words startled a chortle from Koenma. "No. Definitely not." He thought about it for a moment longer and then laughed again. "No. That's not it." He leaned back in his chair again and propped his stubby toddler legs up on his desk. "Like I said, we're dealing with some fairly frequent demon infestations from those of de Lire's followers that were not rounded up and are trying to get her back. Yusuke and Kuwabara have been dealing with it pretty well, along with some help from Kurama, but they do have some close calls. I was wondering if you felt well enough to be able to accompany them and help. Not just as a healer, but as a fighter as well. I would ask someone else, but given that you're human, you would have a much better chance fitting in for a rather long-term assignment."

Riko's eyes widened slightly, and her mouth opened. Almost instinctively, she clutched as her left arm, squeezing it tight. The surprise lasted for no more than a split second before she gathered herself and made a face. "I don't know, Koenma. I'm not really feeling fully up to speed. I'd rather not – actually, since I'm here anyways… I was wondering if I could take some time off."

Koenma raised an eyebrow. It was probably one of the first times that Riko had ever asked for time off. The girl was normally fairly eager to spring back into her world of bandages and closing up wounds. "How long were you thinking?"

"I don't know," Riko shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure yet. Until I feel better… about a month, maybe?" She glanced at Koenma's face, judging its expressions before glancing to the side.

Frowning and slightly puzzled, Koenma contemplated Riko for an extended moment and then finally nodded. "Very well. I suppose we have been overworking you a bit. You do deserve a break. Take your time. But please, let me know as soon as you wSould like to return to work."

Riko was already halfway to her feet. "Yeah, of course. Thanks, Koenma. Good luck with everything." She saluted her boss with just a hint of mockery and then slipped out the door.

Outside, Riko allowed herself to relax, relieved that she had gotten that particular question over with, but then stiffened as she realized who was outside the door. She raised an eyebrow and pushed a smile onto her face. "Hiei. Nice to see you."

Hiei blinked at Riko, who instinctively clutched at her left arm again, squeezing tight. Unlike Koenma however, Hiei noticed the motion. His eyes darted down to the appendage, which Riko quickly jerked behind her back, though not before Hiei saw the edged of a white tight-knit strip of material that could only be a bandage. Something flickered across his face, but all he did to acknowledge the human was a slight grunt and the barest nod of his head before he turned and made his way into Koenma's office. The door closed behind him with a soft whoosh and click.

_Huh._ Riko was not sure what she had expected from Hiei after she had told him about her problem, but it had not been this. Ignoring or more sneering scorn would have made more sense than that slight, but very real greeting and the strange, unreadable expression that had been covering his face. She did not know what it was. In fact, she could not even begin to guess.

_Oh well,_ Riko thought as she turned to walk away. _It's not as if I ever really understood Hiei._ The thought made her smile a bit bitterly. It was amazing how little humans needed to know about a person before they developed feelings for them, whether they were feelings of affection or hatred or jealousy. Everything could be made omon a few impressions. It had been barely four months since she had met the guys, and two of those, she had spent in a hospital, but still, she had great fondness towards them all. For the other three, it was not romantic, but it was quite strong nevertheless. And for Hiei?

_Who even knows?_ Riko shook her head and smiled a bit, a brief instant of happiness before the pain in her arm reminded her of what she had to do.

_Well, I've got my time off. I can keep working at it._ And then, gripping her bandaged arm, Riko walked away.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Koenma had just barely begun his paperwork again when his door swung open unexpectedly, and a small, but imposing figure walked in. He looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Hiei. To what do I owe the pleasure?"<p>

Hiei appeared to be fighting with himself. While he stood in the room with a very firm stance, there seemed to be a battle of emotions taking place across his place, as if he had walked in, but was still unsure as of what he wanted to do. He folded his arms and then, after what seemed to be an internal struggle, asked, "What did you do with the Sanguine Necklace?"

It was not exactly a surprising question, as Koenma knew that Hiei, like many other demons and humans, had a deep interest in the potential of the Sanguine Necklace, but it was strange that Hiei would ask such a question so directly. Spying and extorting information seemed to be more his style.

After a moment's thought, Koenma replied, "It's been locked up. We're still deciding what the best place for it would be." He set down his royal stamp and frowned at Hiei. "Why do you ask?"

Again, there was that strange, unknowable struggle on Hiei's face, as if he was debating between leaving and forcing himself to continue. "I have a proposition about what to do with it."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"How was the food?"<p>

"Good. How was yours?"

"Okay. I'm not a huge fan of Spirit World cuisine, but at least, it's edible."

"Yeah, I think that's the lowest requirement for prison food."

Gwen chuckled and leaned her head against the gray stone of her solitary prison cell. The walls were emblazoned with foreign letters and symbols and reinforced with potent strength from at least a thousand monks. Their only purpose in Spirit World was to provide their energy, and they sat, in their temple, praying and channeling a consistent stream of power to wherever Koenma directed it – in this case, towards the prisons. The symbols and the energy of the monks were meant to keep any prisoners under control. The walls were almost unbreakable, and anyone marked as a captive could not exit the rooms even when the doors were open.

In addition to the walls, Gwen had also been deemed dangerous enough to warrant a second precaution. Around her ankles and wrists were metal bands which trapped all of Gwen's energy inside her body. There was no possible way to remove them while in the cell, and while they were on, it was impossible for her to attempt breaking out of the cell.

Though she was being held in solitary confinement, she was close enough to the next cell to be able to speak to its occupant, something that she had specifically requested and that had been granted after a week of hearings and meetings. In the next cell was Lance, chained and held just as she was. For him, they had also equipped a headband to repress any latent telepathic abilities that he might have endeavored to use.

There they stayed, with frequent visits from diplomats or ambassadors or sometimes Koenma himself, negotiating and spying.

Gwen found that she was not as miserable in incarceration as she thought she would be when she had surrendered to the human boy. The jail, while not comfortable, was definitely livable, they provided any number of books that she wished to read, and when she got tired of that, there was always Lance there, her oldest and dearest companion. All in all, it was much better than she had expected. But then, what she had expected was to be thrown immediately into the Twisted Prison with all the other offenders who had really riled up Spirit World.

But here she was instead, treated almost decently, even taking into account the guards standing constantly outside and inability to see the outside world. It had been two months so far, and Gwen was really beginning to get used to her confinement, despite the occasional longing for open air.

"Did you read anything fun today?" She asked to the wall as she walked over to the silver mirror embedded in the wall. There was a special layer of symbols written across its surface to prevent smashing. Gwen looked at herself and then reached for a brush (more symbols) and began to brush her hair. It flowed over her shoulders, a deep amethyst that seemed to sparkle softly as if with stars.

"Oh yes," came Lance's voice back through the wall, dry and mildly sarcastic. "Because I thoroughly enjoy reading about Spirit World history and politics."

"You know that there's more than that," Gwen called back as she continued to run the bristles through her hair. Soft waves billowed over her hands. "You can request anything. They're very good about bringing us books."

"Yes, but unfortunately, I'm not that big of a reader," was the quick reply. "I'm really getting fed up in here, Gwen. Can we make a break for it?"

The guards standing outside the bars bristled. Gwen flickered her gaze towards them and then laughed heartily. To them, she said, "Relax. He's only kidding. He wouldn't try for something like that, and if he was, do you really think he'd make it so obvious?" It did not seem to calm them down. To her beloved second-in-command, she called, "Oh don't be silly. I surrendered. I can't take back a surrender."

"Sure, you can. You took back our war," Lance retorted with just a hint of bitterness. He had understood Gwen's reasoning and was rather grateful that he was not going to have to lose her at the end of the war, but it had annoyed him that after so much planning and work, she had just let everything go to Spirit World right at the start of it all.

Shaking her head, Gwen put the brush down and began to pin up her hair. Her accessories, like everything else in the room, were covered with Spirit World symbols, all designed to keep her from using them as any sort of weapon. As she worked, she answered back, "Yes, and I am sorry about that, lamb, but let's be honest. It was probably for the best. My convictions failed, you failed, we lost our hostages – it wouldn't have gone well for us."

"Yes, but you didn't know that." Lance was being very quick with his responses today. Must be very bored. "You only lost your convictions. We could have still won."

"Yes, but what would have been the point?" Gwen fastened the pins in place as she spoke, working carefully to avoid stabbing herself. "I was wrong."

There was a silence then as Gwen finished with her hair. It was broken only by a short blast of a noise outside, almost as if from a trumpet.

"Oh, looks like our guest is almost here." Gwen walked across the room and stood at the bars.

There was a moment of pause and then, a short figure walked into sight. He was wearing a ridiculously tall, round hat, sucking on a pacifier and accompanied by an even larger guard company.

Gwen smiled as the figure stopped before her cell and bowed her head in recognition. He did the same and twisted so that he could give Lance the same courtesy.

"Hello, Koenma."

End of Chapter 90

* * *

><p>Thank you for reading. Lots of love and all that.<p> 


	91. Chapter 91

**A/N: **Wow. So I finished outlining the rest of Chiryo... and holy crap, is it long! We're slowly closing in on the end, but believe me, there's a _lot_ to cover! (And a sequel! If you guys are interested.)

**Publish Date:** 7/30/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 91

Hiei hesitated.

He stood at the entrance to Riko's apartment in Spirit World, which he had deduced the location of by eavesdropping on Kurama and Koenma. Aside from her lair in Demon World, which was mostly defunct now given that she did not spend a great deal of time there, this was Riko's main residence. There had also been some discussion of family that she had in the Human World and a possible home there, though Koenma did not really think of that as a possibility.

It had been two weeks since the incident at the graveyard, and from what he had seen and heard, Riko had not made many appearances. There had, of course, been the meeting with Koenma, but other than that, she seemed to have disappeared from the face of the world. Kurama had expressed worry about it more than once, but had been too preoccupied with work from Koenma and his human life to give it too much thought.

One of Hiei's hands was rolling something between his fingers – a brown, rough, leather bag with a drawstring opening at the top. It was pulled closed, and he studied it for a long moment before he tucked the thing into his jacket and returned to his current problem.

The doorbell.

It had to be one of the hardest decisions that he had ever made. What was he to do when confronted with a doorbell? Did he ring it? Master of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame, wearer of the Jagan Eye, an A-class demon, and yet a doorbell… how was he to deal with something like that?

Hiei glowered at the door and then tried the handle. It was locked. He briefly considered the idea of simply knocking the door in and walking in, but the consequences of that – neighbors noticing, Riko complaining and probably demanding repairs, Kurama snickering for the next thousand years – quickly outweighed the benefits. He went back to looking at the doorbell, though it was looking less appealing by the minute.

In the end, Hiei decided to discard the door entirely and instead find a window. He was lucky in that Riko had most of them wide open to let in the autumn breeze which flowed steadily even in the clouds of Spirit World. All he had to do was to run up and through one.

The first thing that hit him as he walked in was the scent of dank and metal – blood. Without pause, he followed the scent to a room where the door was semi-opened. He pushed it open.

It led to a bathroom, decently sized and decorated with black and white tiled floors and walls and yellow ducky wallpaper above the tiles. There was a sink, with a mirror above it and a cabinet beneath it, a toilet adjacent to the sink, and towards the back, a shower and tub.

In the tub, Riko was lying, unconscious. Her left arm, the one that she had cut before, was bleeding sluggishly on the porcelain. There was a pool of blood slowly draining under her. She was dressed only in a black sports bra and spandex, though fresh clothes lay, neatly folded on the sink. Her head lolled to the side, and just outside the tub, scattered across the floor was a mess of discarded white bandages, most of them stained with either dirt or blood.

There was a deafening roar in Hiei's ears as he crossed the bathroom, like oceans waves crashing in with a force so immense it was amazing that he was even still standing.

He seized hold of Riko's uninjured arm and pressed his fingers hard to her pulse point, at the same time leaning in to Riko's face so that his ear was adjacent to her nose. There was an instant of heartbreaking silence where purple sparks and strange brown-gold eyes seemed to dance before him, and then Riko took a breath. It was soft and quiet, as was her pulse, but _she was alive_.

Hiei dropped Riko's wrist and for the first time, realized just how fast his own heart was beating. He jerked himself up and stepped back, glaring at Riko's prone form. He took another step back and then whipped around, long black jacket flying up behind him and rippling as Hiei strode from the room.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>When Riko woke, it was to the sickeningly familiar scent of iron and damp. She slowly turned her head, which had achieved a crick in the side from the frankly uncomfortable design of the tub and examined her surroundings. She had been working on her healing before she had fallen unconscious. The bathtub was a good place to do it because any blood that she lost (and she often lost quite a bit) would be caught and contained so she did not make a mess of the rest of her place, and she usually needed a shower afterwards, so it was quite convenient.<p>

Riko gingerly laid her head back against the wall and sighed. Her body felt sore and overused, everything except for her arm, now having finished bleeding, which throbbed with a dull, numb ache. She closed her eyes briefly and then struggled to get up. Everything about her felt weak and overcooked, and there was the first sign of a pulsing headache starting in her temples.

_Fucking hell. I think I understand how ramen feels now._

Groaning, Riko let herself fall back into the curve of the porcelain and reached behind her with an uninjured hand. Wincing at the stretch, she twisted the shower knob.

Cold water blasted out, and Riko yelped. "Fuck!" She resisted the urge to turn the water off and instead waited until the water heater started kicking in and warm water began to gush out. Then, still rather painfully, Riko proceeded to remove her bloodstained sports bra and spandex and then began to carefully wash the blood and sweat from her person.

When most of the blood was running down the drain, Riko leaned back again and looked at the gash on her left arm. It looked raw and red, as if she had just received it instead of having gotten it two weeks ago. There had been no progress so far, but a lot of self-harm. For the umpteenth time, Riko wondered if this time, she had gone too far. She had been in Keun form for a week, with no breaks. That was the longest continuous time ever. Had she ruined herself? Would she never be able to heal again?

The thought terrified her. Riko loved treasure hunting, but mostly because it was associated with Ono, who had been her fondest memory from childhood. She appreciated the reputation that she had gained as a demon killer, but truth be told, she hated fighting. That had been the purpose of Keun in the first place, so that she could keep herself from having to face the ones that she hurt. In the end, no matter how much she loved Ono or wanted to honor his memory, she was a healer.

The thought brought a bitter smile to Riko's face.

_Mom would be so pleased. She really embedded it in me._

Riko's eyes grew unfocused, but she quickly snapped herself out of it. Reminiscing about the past or worrying about the situation would not help her at all.

Either she would learn to heal again or she would die trying.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"How many is that?" Yusuke asked as he dumped the unconscious demon he had been hauling in the box that Botan was extending his way. The demons would be transported back to Spirit World and imprisoned there.<p>

Botan reached into her pocket and pulled out a little notepad and pen. She scribbled something on it and then answered, "Five small fries and one still small, but much more annoying fry." She dropped the lid on the box's top, and instantly, the box shrank until it could fit into the palm of her. Smiling, Botan picked up the miniature container and placed it in the purse-like bag that she was carrying slung over one shoulder. "They're really persistent, aren't they?"

"No kidding!" Yusuke pulled his arms up in a stretch and then yawned. "Please tell me that's it, and we're done. I cannot take more of this shit. They're not even smart demons. Just – charge and bam!" Yusuke smacked one fist into the other palm and then shook his head. "Honestly, Botan, this is the most boring job that the big baby's ever given me."

Botan chuckled. "Would you like me to tell Koenma that you miss the danger and excitement? I'm sure he could find you something to do."

Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Can't he just not make me work? I mean, sheesh. Let a guy have his own life, you know?" He plopped down on a bench and flung his arms and legs wide.

Taking the seat next to him, Botan quipped, "Oh yes, because skipping class and getting into street fights is better than this?"

The young man made a noncommittal noise and tilted his head back to look at the sky. The sun was beginning to set, so everything was turning dark, with hints of orange and lavender at the edges of it all. Yusuke closed his eyes and leaned his head back…

A bag smacked him lightly in the nose.

"What the fuck –" Yusuke's eyes flew open, and he snatched at the bag before turning to face his attacker. "- do you think you – oh – Keiko!"

The brown-haired girl grinned. "Hello, Yusuke. I went to your apartment, but your mom said that you were out, so I figured that you might be getting hungry."

Yusuke perked up at the words and hastily unfolded the top of the bag and peeked in. "_Yes._ This is fucking amazing. Keiko, you're the best."

Keiko beamed at him. "I know. Don't cuss so much though." She looked at Botan and smiled. "Hey Botan! How've you been? How's the mission going?"

Botan, who had been admiring the exchange with knowing affection, smiled back at Keiko. "I'm doing pretty well. Can't complain." She gestured vaguely at her bag. "And we're also doing pretty well, you know, catching demons, keeping the streets safe." She gently whacked Yusuke on the back. "Yusuke here's been working pretty hard."

Fondly, Keiko's soft brown eyes flicked back to Yusuke. She watched, leaning on the back of the bench, as Yusuke reached eagerly into the bag and began to unwrap the food that she had brought him. He ate heartily, as if he had not eaten for years, despite it having only been a few hours.

"Oh god, this is so good," He garbled around chewing. "Keiko – Keiko, did I ever tell you how awesome you are?"

"Yes, but you know I never really get tired of hearing it." She tilted her head to the side and took another few long minutes to just enjoy the sight of Yusuke eating with such vigor. At last, she sighed and shook her head. She straightened and looked at Botan. "I have to go. There's a big physics test tomorrow that I need to study for. I'm sorry I didn't bring you anything to eat. I didn't realize you'd be here. Feel free to take something from Yusuke if you want." She looked at Yusuke and then, with a bit of hesitation, reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.

It was a subtle movement, gentle, but it made Yusuke look up and meet her eyes. There was a brief exchange between the two that Botan was not a part of, but of which she could feel the immense importance of. And then, as quickly as it had come, it vanished, and Keiko was walking away, waving good-bye at them as she left, her nut brown hair perfectly canvassing that intelligent, lovely face.

Both Botan and Yusuke watched her go, and only when she had faded into the distance did Yusuke begin to eat again. Botan let him do so in silence, waiting until Yusuke had swallowed the last crumb and crumpled the last wrapper before she spoke. "So… what's happening between you and Keiko anyways?"

The Spirit World guide was not sure what exactly she was expecting as an answer to the question. It was not like she and Yusuke frequently confided in each other about topics like this or that Yusuke _ever_ talked about his relationships, as far as she had seen. A joke would probably be the result. In fact, she was not sure why she had even bothered asking. Even if Yusuke did think that something might have changed between him and Keiko, he would not speak of it.

"I don't know." Yusuke dropped the last of the wrapping paper into the bag and then proceeded to squash the bag into a ball. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, looking unseeingly ahead. People walked past them, talking amongst themselves or to others far away on their phones. They ignored Yusuke as he ignored them, lost in thought. "We've always been there for each other, you know? I can't remember a time when Keiko wasn't there, pestering me." He shook his head, his eyes warming. "Always pestering. Damn, can that girl talk… on and on and on… even though she knew that I wouldn't listen to her."

He bowed his head, squeezing the paper ball tight. "Yeah… no, I _never_ listened to her. You know, sometimes, I think I didn't listen to her just so that she would worry about me and keep chasing after me. I guess I kinda always thought that eventually she'd get fed up and leave." Yusuke did not say it, but Botan could almost hear the 'like everyone else' in his words. "But she never did." Yusuke raised his head and looked up at the sky. The sun was half-gone now, sending the last of its brilliant rays spilling across the growing night. "She never did. And… I don't think I want her to." He looked down at the crushed bag in between his hands. "Not ever."

Yusuke turned his head suddenly to look at Botan, who flinched in surprise. He smirked at her. "Ha. Got you, didn't I?" He stood up and tossed the bag at her mockingly, and she barely reacted in time to keep it from hitting her in the face. It fell to the ground "Come on, Botan. You didn't really think that I'd be that mushy, did you? Who do you think I am? Kuwabara and his precious red string of fate, Yukina?" He rolled his eyes dramatically. "I got better things to do with my time." He punched one fist into the palm of the other hand. "Like hunt demons. Let's see what these motherfuckers can do now that I'm all charged up again."

Botan's mouth had dropped in shock at Yusuke's sudden change in demeanor, and she was about to get irritated at him. Her mouth was already open, and scolding words were ready, but then she caught sight of the look in Yusuke's eyes. His mouth was grinning, but his eyes were serious, more serious than they had ever been before, and then, Botan understood.

So instead of scolding, Botan smiled at Yusuke. "Eager to hunt demons now? I'll let Koenma know that all we need to buy your attention is food." She got to her feet as well, dusted off her kimono and then murmured, softly, without looking at Yusuke, "You should tell her."

The spirit detective leaned down and picked up the crumpled bag. He gazed at it with a deep tenderness in his eyes before tossing it into a nearby waste bin. He made the smile for Botan again, before placing both hands behind his head and beginning to whistle.

_Believe me,_ He thought. _I plan to._

Yusuke grinned.

End of Chapter 91

* * *

><p>Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review!<p> 


	92. Chapter 92

**A/N: **...Oh God, I'm going back to school soon. Blehhh. Please no responsibility... _anyways_, enjoy!

**Publish Date: **8/7/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 92

Uehara Sr. had expected his corporate stock to take a hit when he had announced that the heir to his estate and business was going to be his _human_ son, Jirou. His demon investors, he had thought, would be very suspicious and doubtful of a company going to a human, while his human competitors would suspect some weaknesses in him and through him, his corporation.

Surprisingly however, on the day following the announcement, Uehara Sr. was floored with the information that his stock had actually soared. It appeared as if people were intrigued by announcement. Jirou had had a good track record before, and his professional image, even Uehara Sr. had to admit, was quite successful. Apparently, everyone had expected the transition sooner or later, and so it had been well received.

And now, Jirou had the honor of sharing his father's responsibility in keeping everything smooth and running perfectly.

Jirou handed his father a file and then began pacing around the room. He liked walking as he talked. The constant motion was rather soothing and often put off his competitors, so there were two birds. "Kobayashi is offering us a merger. Fair price, but it would mean that we would lose a lot of control and autonomy. I suggest that we hike up the price and buy her out altogether. With them, we would almost completely horizontally integrated. As for Kobayashi herself, I'd recommend buying her loyalty by offering her a high position here. She is a good businesswoman, and we do not want her going to someone else. She could be a threat."

Uehara Sr. scanned the files in his position, before nodding and reaching into his desk and pulling out a file folder himself and handing it to his son as he passed on his meditated path around the office. "Lankirk has been edging into our territory recently. It would probably be best to arrange a meeting with them and see if they would respond to a warning. I highly doubt it, but it would be better for the image to try. More thought has to be given to how to deal with them if they don't quit their interference. I've scheduled a cabinet meeting tomorrow to discuss the matter."

Nodding, Jirou lingered on the case file, running one long finger down the edge of a page as he skimmed the text and then flipped the page. He gave another little nod and then closed the folder. "Okay, that sounds good. Is there anything else before we take off?"

His father leaned over his desk and plucked a sticky note from the phone. He held it out to Jirou, who frowned, slightly puzzled and then strode over to take it. On the yellow note paper, written in his father's impeccable handwriting were the words, 'Koenma wants to meet. Business matters.' And then a wax stamp that most certainly had not originated in the office. He prodded it experimentally, and a projection popped up before him.

"Transfer to Prince Koenma's office?" asked a polite voice.

With a raised eyebrow, Jirou replied, "Uh… no, thank you."

"Thank you for using Spirit World Teleportation. Good-bye and have a nice day!"

Confused, Jirou looked at his father.

"I got a call from Koenma this morning. He wants to meet with us and told me that if we used the portal, we could go to Spirit World at our earliest convenience," Uehara Sr. said. "He only told me that it was on business related matters, and he would appreciate it very much if we could meet. What do you think? I, personally, would find it very interesting to see what Spirit World is like. Few demons have visited who are not about to be incarcerated. And Koenma is a potentially very powerful ally."

Jirou ran his thumb over the seal, contemplating the issue. "I concur. It could be a very worthwhile opportunity, and at the very least, it would polite, especially given our connection during the Wadoshi Games." He handed the note back to his father and stood still for a moment, thinking.

Glancing up, Uehara Sr. raised an eyebrow. "Thinking of something interesting?"

"No, just… wondering if we'll see any of the Urameshi Team." Jirou gazed reflectively at the far side of the room. "I haven't heard much from them since that news about them taking down Gwen de Lire and Lance Grench." He allowed himself an absent smile. "It'd be nice to see how they're doing."

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>When Riko had finished cleaning herself off, she bandaged her arms again, dressed herself in the fresh clothes she had laid out before she had begun the session and made her way slowly out of the bathroom. Everything in her throbbed with a faint, but harsh melody. <em>Poison<em>, it sang to her. _Poison._ Her own spirit energy was poisoning herself.

"Shut up," Riko murmured back to it. She stumbled her way to the kitchen, where she took several chicken salad sandwiches and mochi pieces from the fridge. With the food under her arm, she collapsed onto the couch, where she spent the next hour slowly making herself chew and swallow the food. Before she had begun her session, she had prepared all of it, knowing that she would feel terrible afterwards and would need to recover.

When all the food was in her stomach, Riko let her arms drop to her sides and slept, tucked awkwardly into the crooks and crannies of the cushions. Her dreams were dark, and when she awoke, she remembered nothing and felt even less. Despite the clock telling her that she had been asleep for almost ten hours, she could still feel the exhaustion in her bones. The pain had faded with the rest and food, but her arm still felt stiff and sore.

_I need to sleep more,_ Riko thought as she dragged herself to her feet and began the short, but grueling trip the bedroom. Yes, that was all that was left for her: sleep and heal herself to exhaustion, eat and sleep and heal and nothing else until she recovered…

There was a package sitting on the floor right in front of the door to her room. It was a small, brown leather bag, rugged, and tied with drawstrings that were a slightly darker shade of brown. Riko frowned. She could not remember leaving a package there or, in fact, having ever seen a package like that in her house.

_But then, I did try to eat a fork yesterday, so whatever it is, I've probably just forgotten about it._ Riko could not help, but give a bit of a smile. It surprised her that she was still able to quip, even if it was just in her own mind, and it was slightly reassuring. She had not lost the battle against herself yet.

Riko reached down – slowly, so as to keep herself stable – and picked up the bag. It was light in her hand, and when she felt it, it felt empty. Still, Riko stuck a finger inside, pried the bag open and then upturned it over her palm.

It was a golden chain, delicately made with a silver moon dangling from the center…

_Oh fuck._ And then, _Is sleep stealing even a thing?_

She found that she could not take her eyes off the necklace pooled like liquid gold in the palm of her hand. It was a prize that she had been seeking for what seemed like an age, but to actually be able to touch and hold the _Sanguine Necklace_ in her hand… it was a feeling unlike any that she had ever felt. There was such refined and sophisticated power held in each link and especially in the moon.

_A treasure unlike any other. Forged by love and desperation. It will make its wearer unbeatable._

_And it's going to send me to jail._ Riko cursed aloud. How had something this precious made its way into her home? Had someone planted it there as a setup? Who the fuck would do something like that? Could she have been stealing while she had been asleep? It was impossible, given her state, but…

"Koenma," Riko muttered to herself. She stretched out a hand and threw open the door to her bedroom, eyes searching high and wide as her grip on the Sanguine Necklace tightened. She dropped it back into the bag, stuffed that in her pocket and then proceeded to tear her room apart, throwing pillows and books on the floor as she searched desperately.

She finally located the item that she was looking for under her bed, where it had gathered quite a bit of dust. It was a small round object, resembling a compact. Riko flipped it open and snapped, "Koenma!" at the communicator. The surface blurred from Riko's face and went white.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>George the ogre poked his head into Koenma's office and was immediately smacked in the face by an attacking document. "Gah!" He clawed at the document until it tore free and went off to fly back into the atmosphere with the rest of the stamped documents that Koenma was tossing into the air after he finished with them. "Koenma, sir! This is not a proper way to treat your paperwork! Who's going to pick all of this up?"<p>

"Shut up, George! This is how I deal with the stress!" Koenma yelled. He continued stamping furiously. "Also, who told you that you were allowed in? Pick up all these papers as a punishment!"

George chose to ignore his deranged boss and instead offered Koenma a compact mirror communicator. "It's Riko. She's calling in. I think that she wants to talk to you."

Koenma paused. "Riko." He took a brief internal moment to weigh his options and sighed and placed down his stamp. "I'll take the call, but this had better be important." He snatched the compact flipped it open. Riko's face blinked into appearance, and he asked, "What –"

"Koenma, your security is shit!"

Surprised, Koenma blinked and leaned back in his chair. "Excuse me?"

"I don't know who you have running security details on the treasures, but it's fucking amazing that you haven't lost more of them. The _Sanguine Necklace!_ Seriously, Koenma? You could literally take over the world with this necklace. Someone tried to less than three months ago, and yet you let it get stolen?" Riko was breathing heavily, clearly very anxious and quite high strung.

"What are you –"

Riko jerked the necklace so that it was in view on the screen. "I have it, Koenma! It's here. In my apartment. I just found it. On my floor. In a little bag. And before you start wondering, no, no, it wasn't me that stole it. I have no idea who did, but for fuck's sake! How could you let it get stolen not even three months after you'd gotten it? Also, on a related note, I think someone's trying to frame me, because as stated before, I have no idea how it got here –"

"Yes, well," Koenma said, raising his voice to cut Riko off. "I do."

Her jaw dropped open, and Riko found that all she could do was stare at the screen. Finally, she squeaked, "Excuse me? You know how this got here?"

"Yes," Koenma said. He was frowning slightly as if trying to figure something out in his head. "A couple weeks ago, Hiei came to me and he told me that he had an idea of what we should do with the Sanguine Necklace. Naturally since it was Hiei, I was wary, but his suggestion was… surprising." Koenma nodded as if approving the word as an apt descriptor. "He said that the best place for it to be was to give it to you so that you could sacrifice the necklace to your uncle's grave. He pointed out that you've been working for us for several years now, that you've been very vital for numerous missions and that you're rather trustworthy and loyal. He said that giving you the necklace would be a good faith act and that there was little chance that you would use it for your own gain. Rather, he suspected that you would bury it with Ono. Make sure to keep it in the bag if you do. It's enchanted to keep people from finding it." Koenma shrugged his dumpy toddler shoulders. "After some conferencing with my council, I agreed." The prince of Spirit World frowned. "It's strange though. He offered to deliver it… he didn't tell you what it was for?"

Riko's heart was racing. "He… he didn't… he wasn't here when I found it…" She clutched the necklace closer to her. "Hiei? Did you say… Hiei? Hiei thought of this… idea?"

"Yes. I must admit that I was quite surprised as well, but it seems as if you have earned some measure of respect from Hiei. I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised when I think about it. You do have a strange way of ingratiating yourself in with people. It probably has something to do with being a healer. It is hard to hate someone who has saved your life." Koenma gave Riko a moment and then asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to accuse me of, or are you satisfied?"

"I…" Riko shook her head. "I think I'm good… thanks, Koenma. Sorry."

Koenma waved a limp hand and closed the compact.

On her side, Riko did the same. She opened her fist and stared at the necklace. It almost seemed to glow in her hand, not with power, of which it certainly had, but with the outline of a face – the only member of her family that had ever cared about her. She closed her hand and pressed it to her heart. There was a pounding in her ears, and she could feel a rush of blood flooding to her cheeks.

_Hiei did this?_

End of Chapter 92

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed!<p> 


	93. Chapter 93

**A/N: **This is pretty random, but thank you to everyone that reads this. I really appreciate you, whether you were patient enough to wait for me to go off hiatus or just started reading recently. Honestly, if it wasn't for the love and pestering that gets sent my way, I probably wouldn't keep going. I hope that you guys continue to enjoy Chiryo!

**Publish Date: **8/14/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 93

"I just don't think it's wise, your Highness." The white-haired, silver-eyed old woman stated frankly. Her voice had a bit of rasp to it, and her eyes were unseeing, but she was one of the most trusted members of the Spirit World High Council. "Let us remember that this woman, only a few months ago, was plotting to destroy all of Human World and Spirit World. Are we supposed to believe that she simply changed her mind? De Lire is a clever demon. I would believe that she has only delayed her plans and now, with our backing, plans to restart them and then attack again, this time with even greater force."

Koenma, in his young man form, nodded at the words. Though he trusted Yusuke's judgment when the boy had told him of Gwen's surrender and seeming change of heart, he could not make realm-changing decisions based on the confidences of one person. Of course he had his own opinions after talking personally to Gwen and Lance, both alone and with each other, but there was always a need for more solid evidence. Gwen and Lance had begun a war, and it did not matter to anyone in the Council how short it had been. The intent meant more than anything else to them.

"I disagree." The words came from a cat-eyed, middle-aged man. His face was lined, but at the same time quite smooth and clean-shaven. He folded his arms over his chest. "I believe that coming to a settlement with de Lire will be the only way that we find a peaceful solution to all of this. There are demons invading the Human World every day. We've had to put multiple squads on the problem, along with the Spirit Detective, and while they are mostly quite low-level, they still have the ability to cause quite a bit of harm with their numbers. Most of these, as we have seen, were supporters of de Lire. They think that we have captured her through trickery. To stop their assaults, we must come to an agreement with the commander."

The first speaker shook her head. "But to set her free! To give her our _blessing_ to take the Demon World! We are just asking for trouble. History speaks for itself. People do not change. _Demons_ do not change."

"Not true," said a new speaker. This one was dressed in long, flowing robes, had hair down to the floor and eyes that could have pierced through diamond. "Let's not forget that the primary reason we were able to bring down de Lire and Grench's army with so few casualties is due in large part to the efforts of _demons._" Koenma nodded his head in agreement with the statement. "Without them, things would have gone a lot worse for us. And if my memory has not yet failed me, I believe that they were all on the 'enemy side' once."

Contemplatively, the first speaker inclined her head in acknowledgement of the truth of those words.

"Perhaps we could reach a compromise," said another of the Council. "It is probably safe to say that we all want a stop to the constant attacks on Spirit and Human World by the low-class demons that are getting through the wall, though we may not agree on the methods that will lead to an end." To Koenma, the councilmember asked, "Do you think that Gwen might consent to some sort of… for lack of a better word, collar? If she misbehaves, we can bring her back here immediately."

After a moment's consideration for the words, Koenma shook his head. "I am not sure that I approve of it myself. It may keep us safe, but it would also bring temptation to abuse the power if we ever have to engage in negotiations in the future, and starting with that sort of relationship is not how I want this alliance to occur, if it does."

With a nod, the councilmember spoke again, "Then, what about a contract? The collar will only go into effect if she violates the contract. Surely, that would be a more reasonable way to go about it. I have faith in the mages of Spirit World, and there is no doubt in my mind that they would be able to construct something perfect for this occasion."

Thoughtfully, Koenma tapped a finger on the table before him. At last, he said, "It is an interesting idea." He looked from side to side. "Objections?"

There were whispers and then a voice rose above the fray. Koenma settled back in his chair as the conversation continued. Council meetings were not short affairs, particularly not when they dealt with a matter that could literally shape the future of the Demon World.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>"'Must say, <em>darlin'<em>, red's quite a good color on you."

Kuwabara rolled his eyes and pulled the headphones more securely over his ears. He reached over and turned the music he was listening to – classic, as that was the best music for studying – up until it almost hurt his head. He then returned his attention back to the textbook before him, steadfastly ignoring the banter going on in the next room.

Since the Short War, as it had been dubbed, that brief, but violent battle with Gwen de Lire, he and his sister had gained a new houseguest, if he could be called that. Technically, he did not live with them, but with the amount of time that he spent there, chatting up Shizuru and bringing her 'tokens of his affection', he might as well have. He had gotten over his irritation after the first month or so. It was still not a courtship that he could bless, but after Shizuru had threatened to pull his balls off if he ever presumed to dictate who she would or would not be allowed to date, he had grudgingly accepted it.

Nevertheless, Kuwabara was still completely confused as to why Shizuru allowed her male visitor so much access to them and their house. Of course, she had dated before, but what was happening now was hardly dating. While she allowed him to bring her his gifts and stay to talk to her, he had yet to see her go out with him anywhere or show any physical affection. It seemed more like she was entertaining him as a friend, rather than a potential paramour.

Despite this, _he_ did not seem discouraged at all. In fact, he seemed to take Shizuru's rather blasé attitude towards the whole thing with great cheer. He seemed to enjoy their casual flirtations as much as she did, even if they never led anywhere.

There came a knock on Kuwabara's door that he missed due to the clattering pianos in his ears. Another knock and then the door swung open. The motion of the door caused Kuwabara to look up and pull out a headphone.

His visitor grinned widely as he leaned on the doorframe. With one hand, he lifted a silver flask to his mouth and took a drink. "Studying hard, are we?" asked Chu. "Your lovely sister wants to kno' if you'll be needing anything from – that place you humans go to buy food."

"The grocery store?" Kuwabara asked. Chu waved the flask in confirmation. "No, I'm good, thanks," Kuwabara said. He crouched over his desk again, but then stopped as Chu stayed in the doorway. "What?"

Chu chortled. "Now, now, no need to be in a bad mood, love. I got good news for ya." He stepped to the side and allowed Kuwabara to see the slim figure behind him.

Kuwabara stood up so fast that his knees hit the bottom of the desk, and he almost cursed. "Yukina!" He yelped as he scrambled to free himself from the desk. "Hi! What are you doing here! Did you need something? Are you alright?"

The ice maiden smiled pleasantly up at the much taller young man. "I am doing well, thank you. I was just in the neighborhood, and I thought that I might visit." She looked uncertainly at the desk and the abandoned paper and pens. "I can come back later if now is a bad time."

"No!" Kuwabara cried insistently. "No, it's fine. I'm free." He caught himself as Chu chuckled and sent a bit of a scowl the drunkard's way. "Do you – uh – do you want to maybe go for a walk?"

Yukina nodded her head eagerly. "That sounds lovely."

Smiling in relief, Kuwabara grabbed his wallet from the desk, stuffed it into his back pocket and then hurried out, ignoring Chu's soft tittering laughter and his, "See ya later, loves. Try to be good!"

Unintentionally, Kuwabara let a sigh out as they exited the building and Chu's laughter faded behind closed doors. Yukina noticed and looked up at him. "Is something the matter, Kazuma?"

Hearing his name in her lovely voice instantly brought the smile back to Kuwabara's face. He shook his head. "It's nothing really. He's just been spending a lot of time around here, and he's not a bad person, just annoying sometimes." He stopped and then shook his head again. "Never mind him." He beamed at Yukina. "There are much better things to talk about. Like your effervescent beauty."

With a soft laugh, Yukina shook her head. "Kazuma, you always say the funniest things." She smiled at him as they began walking down the sidewalk. A few people gave the pretty, delicate-looking girl dressed in a full kimono strange or admiring looks, but no one said anything, so they passed on quietly. "How have you been recently? I'm sorry that I have not been able to visit often. Koenma asked me to help the healers in Spirit World, and I felt obligated to oblige him."

"Oh it's fine," Kuwabara hastened to reassure her. "As long as you're here now." That teased out another light laugh, and Kuwabara nearly glowed. "I'm doing well."

"What were you studying?"

"Oh, well, it's my last year in junior high," Kuwabara explained, "So I was just working on some high school entrance exams. I wanna go to Gaikou Fuzoku High School, so I gotta start working now so my grades will be good enough for them."

Yukina tilted her head to the side. "Is there something special about that school?"

Kuwabara shrugged. "Well, it's one of the best high schools around, and it's pretty close by so I wouldn't have to move or get another place if I went there. I really want to get into the best place that I can," Kuwabara said, his voice dropping in volume and taking on a serious, almost confiding air. "I know a lot of people think that cause I skip class and get into fights and stuff, I'm stupid, and I know that I'm not as smart as Keiko or Kurama, but I work really hard, so you know." He shrugged. "I think I can do it."

There was a brief wash of insecurity over his face, and instinctively, Yukina reached out and laid a pale white hand on Kuwabara's sleeve. "You're not stupid," She said earnestly. "I have seen you at work – you and Yusuke and Hiei and Kurama. You are all amazing and strong and very intelligent."

Kuwabara looked down at the hand, color rising in his cheeks. He grinned. "Thanks."

They held eyes for a moment, pausing in the street, before Yukina withdrew her hand, and they slowly regained their pace. "If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to go to such a good school?" Yukina asked.

"Well…" Kuwabara hesitated and then plowed on, "I wanna apply for vet school when I finish high school… so it'll be a lot easier to get into one if I'm coming from a good high school."

"Vet?" Yukina asked.

"A veterinarian," Kuwabara explained. "It's a doctor that takes care of animals." He smiled wistfully at the thought. "I really like animals, and well… it's a good job."

Yukina nodded. "It's amazing that you have your life planned out," She said. There was an almost longing look in her crimson eyes. "I wish I was so certain."

Kuwabara glanced at the demoness and was silent, waiting.

He did not have to wait all that long.

After a short period of quiet, Yukina said, "I know… I know I have to find my brother." She bit her lip and looked down. "I have to… I want to apologize for him for how my village treated him. We live with ancient customs that were meant to keep us safe once upon a time, but we have long passed that point now. I feel so bad for how he was treated." Yukina tightened her hands around each other. "He should have been loved, but instead he was thrown away." She looked up at Kuwabara, attempting a smile. "I only hope that I someday have the chance to tell him I'm sorry and get to know him."

"You will," was Kuwabara's instant response. "I'll help you, definitely and Urameshi and Kurama and Riko and even Hiei. We're all gonna help you, and you're going to find him. You will."

Yukina's smile stretched until it became real, her entire face seeming to glow. "Thank you. Really. Thank you so much."

"And you know," Kuwabara blustered on, now flushing a deep scarlet, "It's okay if you don't know what you want to do after that. I mean, that's a pretty big goal, and it's not like everything will stop just cause you don't know what you wanna do next. You got all of us – you got me." He jabbed himself in the chest with a thumb. "I'm not gonna leave you."

Slowly at first, but then with more certainly, Yukina nodded her head. "Yes," She murmured, "I know."

There was a shimmering moment between the two for a moment before a loud yell from around the corner broke the two of it. Kuwabara whirled around, but found that it was nothing more than a pigeon fight over some leftover crumbs. He took a moment to glare at them before returning his attention back to Yukina.

"So uh… you wanna go get something to eat?"

End of Chapter 93

* * *

><p>Lots of love.<p> 


	94. Chapter 94

**A/N: **Back at school. Wow, it's been so busy! I haven't really been able to write, so I'm very happy that I have some chapters stored up. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter.

**Publish Date: **8/21/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 94

She had damn near memorized the odor of blood. When it was fresh, there was a sharp metallic tang, along with a sick wetness, as if someone was shredding copper shreds into a bucket of dirty rain water and watching them dissolve. When dried, there was still that metallic quality, but it was duller and somehow scarier. Dried blood spoke of an old wound, one that had not been tended to. It spoke of missions where there was no time to heal and the dead who had no need to clean.

It was a scent that had become embedded in her nose, so when she woke up with it hanging in the air around her, she thought nothing of it.

Stiffly, Riko rolled over in bed and reached over to the counter, fumbling blindly until her hand closed around a rough leather bag. She pulled it to her and opened up the drawstring, letting the gold and silver pool in her hand. There was no light in the room, but the Sanguine Necklace seemed to cast its own light, lustrous and glorious beyond comparison.

"Wow," Riko breathed. She closed her hand, brought her head down against the closed fist and just felt its power for a moment, before sliding the necklace back into its enchanted container. With the utmost care, she laid the pouch back on her nightstand and then slowly pushed herself to a sitting position. She just sat there for a moment, curled half-in and half-out of the covers before shaking her head and climbing out of bed.

In her pajamas (a deceivingly colorful affair), she stumbled to the door and threw it open.

She had made it to the kitchen and was putting bread in the toaster before she realized that she was not alone in the apartment.

Riko spun around so fast that she knocked the toaster over. She winced. _Ow. That's most certainly a bruise. Good job._ Her eyes widened as they fell on her uninvited guest. "Wha – what are you doing here?" And then, as she took in his appearance, "What happened to you?"

Hiei was leaning against the back of the couch, sword strapped to his back. There was a bruise blossoming across his right cheek, and his clothes were marked with small tears across the sleeves and waist. There was blood flowing from some of these, and he was holding his left arm strangely.

The demon made a dismissive grunt. "Hn. I was using Spirit World's training facilities. Some of their… _officials,_" And the word seemed to curdle in his mouth, "Tried to challenge me." There was a hint of a sneer beneath the blossoming lavender and blue. "Their mistake."

"Wha –" Riko opened her lips and spoke, but no sound came from her throat. She shook her head. "Wow. That's… are you crazy? How did you not get kicked out?"

A flash of irritation. "Like I said, they challenged me."

With a snort that suggested she thought otherwise, Riko turned around and righted the toaster. She replaced the bread, wiped off the crumbs with a rag and then faced Hiei again. Her mind was racing, but she was unable to put any of the thoughts together into a coherent sentence. She wanted to say thank you, to ask why, to probe into the demon's mind, but at last, she just asked, "Why are you here, Hiei?"

The sneer grew more pronounced and also, Riko thought, took on an unshakable resemblance to a smirk, though if asked to tell the difference between the two expressions, she would probably fail to find anything concrete. "What do injured people normally go to a healer for?"

The words stung, though Riko was not sure if Hiei had meant them to. Her grip on the rag she held between her hands tightened until her left arm twitched in protest and pain. She released her hold and scowled at Hiei. "Oh, very funny. Come to me when I'm _not_ a healer. You're such a comedian." She flapped a hand limply at the fire demon, walking towards the fridge. "Go away, Hiei."

There was a gust of wind, and Riko's hair flew back as her eyes widened. Hiei now stood before her, in front of the fridge, eyes blazing with frozen anger. "I have seen you heal," He snapped. "Do you think that just because you are experiencing a little _hiccup_ in your spirit energy that you are no longer a healer?" Riko found that she was unable to answer in the face of those almost hypnotic red orbs. "Now," Hiei continued, easing off a bit. "You always said that you save your spirit energy to use on others, not yourself. Was that a lie?"

Riko's eyes flickered back and forth between Hiei's. She could read nothing in them now, no emotion, no motivation… nothing at all – not ice or cold, but… just nothing. Unreadable. But what he was saying… "Are you – are you offering to let me experiment on you? Are you trying to help me?"

"Hn," Hiei scoffed and shifted his eyes away. "You may be of little use now, but you'd be of even less if you were dead."

_Oh,_ came a ringing thought from the back of Riko's mind. "Oh," She said aloud. "You… saw me… didn't you? When you came to give me the… the necklace."

Which, of course, explained why he had not given it to her in person. He had come, but she had been unconscious, sleeping in a pool of her own blood, as close to death as it was possible to be while still clinging to life. Riko felt an intense shame at the thought of Hiei catching her in that moment, at seeing her at her absolute weakest.

_As if he needed more proof._

Hiei gave her no answer, but that itself was enough.

She let out a long, weary breath and then spoke, in diminished tones, "Hiei… it's not just that I can't heal. I hurt whoever I try to heal, too. That's why I can't practice on other people. They… I don't want to hurt people. That's why I practice on myself."

"And a lot of good that's done," Hiei quipped coolly.

Riko struggled, but found herself scowling at Hiei. Despite the fact that he had gotten her the Sanguine Necklace, that he was being a saint right now, really, compared to his normal self, and despite the fact that he was basically offering himself up as a guinea pig that she could practice healing on, she could still not restrain her irritation.

With great self-restraint, Riko replied civilly, "I'll be fine. I've already done this once. I admit, yeah, I made some mistakes this time, but I'm not going to make them again." She touched her left arm subconsciously. "I'm done with this injury. I'm… going to make a new one, let this one heal naturally, and this time, I'm going to start a lot smaller, so I don't affect myself so much. Okay? I don't need help. I'll be fine."

She turned and marched back to her toast, glaring at it until it popped up. That done, she reached into the cabinet to pull out a plate. "Do you want some toast?" She asked, trying to keep her voice light and calm and not quite sure how she well she did. "I have peanut butter and jam, though you know… I don't know if you actually eat. Do you eat –"

"Do you enjoy wallowing in your own blood? Is that how you would like to die?"

Riko flinched and nearly dropped the browned bread. She dumped it onto the plate and closed the cabinet door as hard as she could without slamming it. The noise did not deter Hiei, who continued.

"A fitting death for Keun, I'm sure, but I thought that you thought healers were better than that –"

_CLANG_

For a girl known more for calm than her strength, Riko could slam a plate of toast down surprisingly hard. It bounced on the counter and clattered away from her. She was facing Hiei again, a mix of fury and frustration and pain dancing around her. "Why are you doing this, Hiei?" She demanded, voice almost calm, but eyes burning. "Why? Why are you helping me? Why – why did you get the Sanguine Necklace for me? I'm weak, remember? You hate me for that." She shook her head. "I've shown you my _past_, and if there ever was anything about me that made me weak, it's my past. I've given you all the proof in the world, so… why? Why are you doing this?"

Hiei said nothing for a long time, but finally, as Riko poured herself a glass of water and drank from it, he began:

"What you have are scars. People do not deserve to die for their scars." His voice was alarmingly calm, almost soothing in a strange way. "And they do not make you weak. There is no person in this world that does not carry scars on their heart." His eyes were piercing. "And if there were such a person, they would be a very shallow soul."

It felt like everything inside Riko was crumbling very slowly, like stones falling from a cliff worn away by a waterfall. It should have been a bad feeling, but for some reason, it was almost comforting. She found herself unable to look away from Hiei.

_Shit._

"Wow." Riko shook her head. "Don't – don't ever say something like that again. You might actually give me a legitimate reason to like you." She tried to make it sound light and jovial, but something about the wave her voice shook gave away her true feelings. She closed her eyes and took another drink from her glass. "Thanks. For… everything. For the necklace and for…" Riko pressed her lips together and at last just shrugged her shoulders. "Thank you."

She huffed a breath, taking her time to find her calm, and then nodded. "Alright. So. Healing right?"

Hiei did not respond, but if she looked closely, she could imagine that she saw the edge of a victory smirk.

"Okay. But we're going to do this my way." Riko met Hiei's instant glare with a solid stare of her own. "I might be about to hurt you, but I'm going to hurt you in the least hurtful way possible." She placed the glass of water down on the counter and then bent to rummage under the sink, where she pulled out a large red box. "First-aid box," She said in response to the unasked question. "I'm only going to try to heal one thing, so I might as well deal with the others first." She raised an eyebrow as Hiei drew away. "Excuse you," She said, almost impertinently. "I thought you came to me for healing."

Hiei was now outright glowering, but amazingly, he did not run away as Riko dragged the first aid box and him over to the couch. Once there, she opened the first aid box and began to rummage around in it, saying as she did so, "Overcoat off."

Though she barely heard the sound of clothes rustling, when she turned back, Hiei was wearing only his black undershirt and black pants. There were long scratches along most of his arms, along with some more bruises, but nothing serious. Except his left wrist. Riko went for that one first.

"What happened?" She asked absently as she examined it with skilled eyes and hands. Though she had spent most of her healing career inspecting with her spirit energy, her early core training had included working purely with her hands and eyes and nothing else. "Sprained it?" She gently compressed Hiei's palm. "Can you feel that in your wrist? No? Okay. It's not that bad. I'll just wrap it, and you keep off it for a while okay. I would recommend ice, but I can't imagine you holding ice to a wound for any period of time." She took out a fold of bandages and firmly wrapped the wrist, going slowly to make sure that she did not cut off Hiei's blood pressure.

From there, she moved onto the cuts and gashes, applying disinfectant and then healing ointment and sometimes a small bandage if it was necessary or if Hiei would let her. A few of the small ones, she left unattended as potential practice healing spots for later.

Her last stop was Hiei's face and the large bruise that covered a majority of his right cheekbone. She grazed her fingers over the injury, lightly, almost caressing Hiei's face. "Who did you fight with?" She asked, distractedly, as she reached for the healing ointment.

"Like I said, Spirit World guards."

"Got any names?"

A bit suspiciously, Hiei drew away and narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Riko followed Hiei as he moved away. "Because I know a lot of the Spirit World guards, and they should know better than to get into fights with demons." She unscrewed the jar and scooped a dollop onto her index finger. "You must have said something really bad to them."

There was no answer to that, but Riko had not expected any. Hiei had already spoken more to her today than ever before in one session. She finished applying ointment and placed the jar back in the first aid kit. "Okay." She took a deep breath and nodded, almost to herself. "Now, the practice healing." She glanced sideways at Hiei. "You can still get out of this, you know." Hiei gave her what must have been his most scornful gaze, and she looked away again, smiling slightly. "Yeah, no, I didn't think so. Thanks. Again. For… yeah. Thanks. Thank you."

She raised her hands and summoned a few purple sparks. They sizzled at the tips of her finger, and she gazed at them before turning to Hiei.

"Okay," She exhaled heavily, "Let's do this."

End of Chapter 94

* * *

><p>In case you're wondering, Hiei's "scars" line is something that he said in the actual anime, although then, I believe he was talking to Kurama. Anyways, hope you enjoyed and let me know what you think!<p> 


	95. Chapter 95

**A/N: **Last of the pre-prepared chapters... Tis unfortunate, but I will try to work on the next one. We'll see.

**Publish Date: **8/29/14

**Next Upload Date**: A week.

* * *

><p>Chiryo<p>

Chapter 95

The healing went about as well as Riko had expected.

The cut, which had been about three centimeters in the beginning, had elongated to almost four centimeters now and looked redder than it had, bleeding fresh blood. Hiei had not made a single sound throughout the process, but then again, he was Hiei. Riko was fairly certain that had it been anyone else – _anyone_ else – they would have let out at least a flinch when her sparks attacked.

She almost stopped twice as the wound literally tore in front of her eyes, but a combination of her determination to learn to heal again and the thought that Hiei would probably scorn her into oblivion kept her going. When she finally stopped, she was beginning to feel the slightest twinges of a headache, indicating that she was approaching a danger zone.

"Alright. That's it."

Riko sat back and sighed, letting the purple sparks withdraw back into her skin. Learning to heal, when she already had memories of healing successfully, was the most frustrating thing that she had ever done. Her progress was so slow that it felt like she was not improving at all, though even now, she knew that she was doing less damage than she was before.

"Here," Riko said. She reached out for Hiei's arm and took it between her hands, carefully cleaning the blood from the wound, applying antiseptic and ointment and then applying a bandage. "Does that hurt?" She asked distractedly before realizing who she was talking to and rolling her eyes. "No. Of course not. What am I talking about? Nothing hurts you." She gave Hiei a small smirk and let go of the arm. "Okay. We're done."

Hiei gave a small, almost imperceptible nod and stood, pulling his overcoat back over his bandaged body.

The young human woman watched him for a moment and then blurted, "Hiei." The demon glanced back at her, and Riko's mind worked frantically. There were a dozen things she wanted to say, from 'thank you' again to 'will you come again' to 'seriously, what did you say to the Spirit World guards'. "Uh. Do you –" Riko frowned, eyebrows wrinkling and coming together. "Do you want to… come to Ono's grave with me…?"

There was a flicker across Hiei's face, and then he replied, voice very dry, "Contrary to what you and Koenma seem to think, I do have things to do." And with that, he turned, black coat billowing out behind him, hands tucked into his pockets, as he disappeared from the room.

…_I don't know what I expected._ Riko flopped over on her couch, physically exhausted by her healing attempts and mentally exhausted by everything else.

She still could not believe that Hiei, _Hiei_, of all people, had vouched her to get the Sanguine Necklace, could not believe that Koenma had let him, could not believe that he had come to _her apartment_, could not believe that Hiei was _concerned _enough about her life and safety that he had volunteered (his version of the world, at least) to be her guinea pig so that she would not have to hurt herself…

_Fucking damn._ Riko covered her face, massaging her forehead gently. Her fingers were stiff. She cracked her knuckles and then rested her arms over her eyes, inhaling and exhaling with comfortable regularity.

When she felt somewhat recovered, Riko blinked her eyes open and then rolled off the couch. She stretched long and hard for a few minutes, feeling the muscles in her body loosen and unknot.

_Alright._ Riko straightened. _Time to deliver the prize._

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p>Along with the Sanguine Necklace, Riko brought cleaning equipment, incense, matches, mochi buns, and fresh flowers for Ono's grave. She had been too busy grieving last time, but cleaning a grave was very important, and if she did not do it, who would? Certainly not her family. They had disowned both her and her uncle after he had taken her from home.<p>

She began by equipping headphones and then knelt to dip a brush into her bucket before getting down to scrubbing the grave down. Her fingertips traced over the engraved words, _Ono Isshi. Fortune favors fools._ She smiled fondly at the memory. It had been one of Ono's favorite sayings, a joke about how the hunts where he planned nothing often went much more smoothly than those where he planned everything.

"_Better not to plan, if that's the case, huh?"_

"Unfortunately, I'm not usually the one in charge of whether or not we have plans," Riko informed the gravestone. "That's normally Koenma's job. Or Kurama's. Oh!" Riko smacked the stone excitedly. "That's right! I haven't been here since, but I met Kurama! He's much frailer than I thought he would be… but then, I suppose, he is in his human form. He is _very_ smart though. Or at least he gives off that air. I can see why you guys would have been friends. Did you guys ever steal anything together? I'll have to ask Kurama sometime." Riko nudged a strand of hair out of the way with her forearm and then kept talking, "He probably has some great stories. And he knew you when you were young, huh?" She laughed. "I can't imagine you ever being young, you old man."

A particular muddy spot caught Riko's attention, and she paused in her talking to deal with it. "A lot has happened since the last time I was here. You might have gathered from the breakdown last time," She commented dryly, before scooting around to scrub the back and sides of the gravestone. "Koenma assigned me to a new group – the Urameshi group? Yusuke Urameshi… he's a Spirit Detective, human, pretty cheeky, but fun to be around. And there's Kuawbara, also human… Kazuma is his first name, I think? I'm not quite sure cause no one calls him it except his sister and this demoness, and honestly, for a really long time, I was under the impression that he didn't even have a first name…"

The air smelt of ripe fruits and dying flowers, a bittersweet aroma, perfect for the season that ushered in the time of no growth. It always amazed Riko how pretty autumn could be, especially since what followed was so terrible and dead. Autumn had always been her favorite season, with the explosions of color and the constant breeze that seemed determined to make her twirl among the falling leaves.

"Kurama, of course," Riko continued, "Is a part of the Urameshi group. And then Hiei. He's a demon." Riko tossed the brush back into the bucket and examined her handiwork. The gravestone was now free from all dust and dirt, and while it did not glow as it was stone, it did seem to give off a sort of matte sheen. "Come to think of it, he's actually the only _actual_ demon. I suppose Kurama, but he's in a human body, so…" She shrugged her shoulders and then bent to pick up the incense.

Even before she set fire to the wood, the scent hung in the air around her, and when that pale gray smoke wrapped itself around her and the grave, it was all she could smell: a crisp combination of earth and wood and sweet spice. In a way it was overwhelming, but much more so, it was comforting.

With the incense between her hands, Riko extended her arms and bowed three times to the gravestone and then placed the smoldering wood sticks in the holder attached to the grave. There they sat, curling smoke into the autumn wind.

Riko plopped herself down in front of the grave and pulled the brown bag from her pocket. "Bet you thought that was all I had, wasn't it?" Riko asked, momentarily taken back to when she was 12 and Ono's approval was everything to her, and there was nothing more she wanted than to make him proud. "Nope. I got a real prize this time, Ono."

When she had still been hunting, she had come regularly to give him prize parts of her collection. There was a secret compartment in the gravestone that opened with her spirit energy. She had commissioned it from a human who specialized in creating artisan locks. Riko summoned a spark, ignoring the prickling on her skin as it stung her and touched the gravestone, near the base. The stone shimmered and then slid to the side to show an assortment of jewels, jewelry and small weapons.

Riko waggled the bag at the gravestone. "The Sanguine Necklace." She grinned. "Not kidding. We got it on our last mission – well, sort of. It really is a work of art, Ono. I wish you could have held it. I've never seen anything more beautiful." She sighed and tossed the bag so that it landed on top of the varied pile. Then, with another stinging amethyst spark, she closed the grave again.

"So I finally got it. The ultimate prize. And… I think…" Riko took a deep breath and licked her lips. "The last one. The last treasure, Ono. I don't… I don't think I'm going to treasure hunt anymore. It's too connected to Keun, and I have to give up Keun." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "Do you remember the last time I was here? When I was crying?" She leaned her head on one knee and closed her eyes. "Well, let me say it again, without all the blubbering tears."

"To get the Sanguine Necklace, I volunteered to go on a… _hunt_ by myself. I… forced my way in, really. And I got trapped. I got trapped as Keun for over a week. And when I came out of it, I couldn't heal again. Not just that. I hurt instead of heal." Riko breathed in, clearly unhappy. "I thought that I could balance both, but I… I can't – no, not even that. I don't want to. I don't want to be Keun if it means that I might someday hurt someone important to me while trying to help them. I can't go through what happened to you again."

"So that was it. That was my last time being Keun." Riko nodded as if she was convincing herself. "I will never be Keun again." She extended a hand, summoned purple sparks and let them turn into black spirals on her skin for just the briefest moment before curling her fingers into a fist and then banishing the armor. "Ever. And I'm not going to make the same mistake as last time. I know that as long as I continue working for Koenma, there's going to be the chance that I'm going to have to fight, and since I want to keep working for Koenma, I'm going to learn how. Actual fighting. Martial arts. And poison healing." Riko's lips tightened and her teeth clenched momentarily, before she forced herself to relax. "I think it's going to be really hard and take a lot of time to get over the – the not wanting to hurt people thing. But I think I have to. I think I have to do this if I want to be able to keep working for Spirit World and going on exciting adventures without being scared of losing my ability to heal." She swallowed. "I'm sorry – for giving up the thing that you gave me, but I have to do this. It took me so long to get to this point. I hope you understand."

There was no response to her words, but then of course, there was not. In all likelihood, Ono had long been placed by Koenma, though where he had gone, she did not know. It was a question that she had always meant to ask the prince of Spirit World, but one that she had never gotten around to. There had always been patients to attend to or missions to go on or treasures to pilfer.

"I hope you went to a good place," Riko whispered. She leaned her head back down and blinked slowly. "I really – I really hope that someday I'll get to see you again, and I hope that you're proud of what you see when you see me."

A warm breeze curled itself around Riko, slipping itself tenderly through the girl's hair. It was growing longer now, almost past the start of her shoulder, and its tendency to curl in was getting cancelled out by gravity, only curving in slightly now. The breeze wisped its way past Riko's ear, and for a moment, she thought that she heard something in the distance, but it was gone too fast for her to understand anything.

Riko sat next to the grave for a long time, telling Ono about the adventures that she had been on with the Urameshi group, alternating the things that she had seen and reminiscing about her days with Ono, just wallowing in the memories of her one true family. Eventually, she ran out of things to tell and fell into silence. The incense was still lazily expelling scent smoke into the air.

In an almost graceful motion, Riko got to her feet and blew out the incense. The embers glowed brightly and then disappeared, snuffed out.

"I'm gonna go now," Riko murmured, touching the gravestone one last time before she bent down to pick up the stuff that she had brought. She placed the plate of mochi buns in front of the gravestone and then turned to leave. "Bye, Ono." She smiled. "I'll be back soon."

She began to walk away from the grave, trailing the lingering scent of warm wood and milky earth.

End of Chapter 95

* * *

><p>Cheers.<p> 


End file.
